Transition in Darkness
by LadyDae
Summary: AU Sequel 2 Ascension in Darkness.Pesinoe sets her sights on Leia to be her new apprentice as part of her plan for revenge, but her loyalties come into question when Leia begins to wonder if Pesinoe is really evil or just a woman acting out of heartbreak.
1. Chapter 1

Talk about exciting! The third story in my Dark Ahsoka series. I really debated about who I'd put under the character genre, but I decided to give it the same one as before because the entire sage will culminate in Anakin and Pesinoe/Ahsoka's relationship. So no comments on it really. I'll just say it's only the beginning and I enjoyed writing it. With out further ado, the first chapter of Transition in Darkness! Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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**Chapter One**

Anakin was alert as he suddenly found himself in unfamiliar territory. It definitely wasn't the rebel base. It was way too warm to be Hoth. He had been meaning to seriously hurt whoever had come up with the idea to have a base on that force forsaken planet. Unfortunately, neither Leia nor Padmé would tell him. If Anakin could just find out who it was, he'd make their life miserable.

He looked around and recognized the place as the council room from the jedi temple. When he spun around, Yoda's image appeared in his regular seat as did the rest of the council who had been dead for over twenty years now. Well, as far as he knew Yoda wasn't dead. Anakin just had no clue where he was in the galaxy.

"What's going on here?"

"The council wishes to discuss what will be the future of the jedi Anakin."

Anakin turned in the direction of the voice and smiled. "Obi-Wan."

"Hello Anakin. It's been a long time," he said.

Indeed it had, three years to be exact. It was after he got over his excitement at seeing his old mentor again that Anakin processed why Obi-Wan said he was there.

"What do you mean the future of the jedi? If it's something for the council to decide, why am I here?" he asked.

"Partly because aside from Yoda, you're the only living jedi left," Obi-Wan said gravely.

"That," Mace Windu began, "and the fact that this matter concerns you as well."

"You mean…" Anakin trailed off.

Yoda nodded. "To train your children or not, we must decide."

Anakin's lips formed a thin line, but he wasn't going to say anything yet.

"What's there to discuss?" said Seasee Tiin. "The jedi order must be rebuilt. Of course the Skywalker twins should be trained."

"They're too old to be trained," Kit Fisto argued.

"I think age is irrelevant in this case," Shaak-Ti said. "Training Luke and Leia is the only hope for the jedi order."

Anakin cracked a small smile. At least Shaak-Ti didn't talk about his children as though they were just tools to be used. She said their names.

"Why can't we find other force sensitive children and raise them from the cradle as jedi?" Mundi suggested.

"Don't be foolish," Mace said. "We'd be waiting another generation to destroy the sith. By that time, they would be too powerful to destroy. We need to take action now."

"Master Windu is correct," Tiin added. "Despite the fact that I disapprove of their parentage, being that they came from an illegal relationship, they are our last hope."

Anakin raised his head to glare. How dare he criticize his and Padmé's relationship? If it weren't for their so-called illegal relationship, Luke and Leia wouldn't have been born, and they wouldn't have been having this discussion. They'd be facing extinction.

"Mm," Yoda said. "Too old indeed, the children are to train. No other choice however, we have. Trained, the Skywalker twins must be. Start with Luke I shall. Send him to me on Dagobah we will."

Mace looked at Anakin. "You will inform him of this?" he asked.

Anakin shook his head and put in his opinion for the first time since the beginning of the discussion.

"I won't have it," Anakin replied. "You will not train Luke."

The room suddenly became deathly quiet and though all the masters remained outwardly passive, he could feel the shock, surprise, outrage, and betrayal even.

"What do you mean Skywalker?" Mace asked glaring.

Anakin stood his ground. "It's not the aspect of Luke being trained that I don't like. It's the aspect of you all indoctrinating him with that ancient code of yours."

"Part of the jedi, you are also," Yoda replied.

"I never said I wasn't, but if we're to bring the jedi back, we have to start with a clean slate, and that means revising the code to better uphold what the force wills," Anakin insisted. "Even now I can see that you all are stuck in your ancient ways. It's time for the jedi to change. We've been doing the same thing for the past thousand years out of fear for what would happen if we allowed emotions and attachments. I won't have Luke apart of that."

"You have no right," said Fisto indignantly.

"Actually I have the force given right. He's my son," Anakin deadpanned

"Your son is almost an adult. He can make the decision for himself," Mace said.

"Yes, he can. But I won't have him rushing into this out of a sense of obligation without knowing exactly what this all entitles. The code has to change," Anakin said stubbornly.

"Perhaps Anakin is right," Obi-Wan said. "It's time for a change. Emotion isn't a bad thing. Just look at him and Padmé. He's speaking from experience."

"You're using one example, the chosen one no less," Mundi rebutted. "We have vast histories of people who turned to the dark side because they couldn't control their emotions. Take his padawan for example. We had good reason to ban emotion."

"And look where it's gotten us," Anakin snapped. "We're on the brink of extinction."

"I see the situation with your former padawan is still a sensitive subject," Mace said observantly.

"You think?" Anakin asked hotly. "Just because there's a risk that a person's emotions can lead them to the dark side doesn't mean they should be banned. It's part of life, especially when we're taught to keep peace out of compassion. How can we have compassion for people when we can't relate to their feelings? Particularly love."

"Like we said," Fisto said. "Take a look at your former padawan."

"Can we truly blame this all on her?" Anakin shot.

"She did destroy the jedi," Mace added pointedly. "There's no way around that."

"I don't deny that. Ahsoka was wrong to handle her feelings the way she did, but the jedi had a part in their own fall. We're not innocent in all this. It's partially our fault that the galaxy is immersed in darkness."

"Thought on this, you have?" Yoda asked and Anakin nodded.

"I have."

"Share your feelings on this matter, you mind?"

Anakin began to pace. "The jedi are right in the notion that emotions can lead to a dark path, but they can also lead to the light. We shouldn't be forced to suppress our emotions and live a life where we don't know it but are expected to have sympathy for the ones we serve. It's impossible. In asking that, it makes us hypocrites. We're asking men and women to be unnatural by doing this. Instead, we should encourage positive outlet for our emotions, not just seeking refuge in the force, and teach that like anything, it comes with its risks, and we must be cautious of them. If we had done that instead of condemning emotions when a jedi couldn't push them away, if Ahsoka had perhaps had someone, anyone, in the temple that she could have gone to when she was confused about her feelings, maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion today."

"Mm," Yoda replied. "Wisdom there is in your observation Knight Skywalker."

"But the order hasn't made such a drastic change in the last thousand years," Mundi pointed out.

"Well the jedi did make the decision to ban it in the first place," Anakin pointed out gaining a glare from Mundi.

"Only a fool hates change, while a wise man embraces it," said Shaak-Ti. "Perhaps it's time for the jedi to get with modern times."

"Consider this, the council will. Until then, trained Luke Skywalker must be," Yoda declared.

"Well then I'll have you know now that I strongly disapprove, especially when I can train Luke myself," said Anakin respectfully.

"Need we remind who your former padawan became?" Fisto asked bluntly.

Before Anakin could blow his temper and respond, Obi-Wan spoke.

"Darth Pesinoé has nothing to do with Anakin's capabilities as a teacher. That choice was Pesinoé's alone. However Anakin," Obi-Wan paused to looked at Anakin. "You are a little too close to the situation. Luke must be prepared to destroy Darth Pesinoé if he has to, and we don't think you've yet come to terms with her identity."

Anakin sighed. "Agreed. Fine. Make him a jedi. Just know that I don't like this at all. I don't want Luke to feel obligated to do this and think that his duty is to the code before the force."

"And what of the girl?" Mundi asked.

Anakin glared. "I'm already giving you Luke. The decision you come to on the matter of attachment will determine whether or not Leia is trained."

"Reasonable," Mace said. "Alright then. Obi-Wan, you will contact Luke and tell him to go to Dagobah and find Yoda. Meeting adjourned."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Darth Pesinoé woke up out of her sleep suddenly. Something wasn't right. There had been a spark in the light side of the force. She got up out her bed. What could this have meant…?

Putting on her night robe she got into a meditative position on the bed. She searched the force and found the light. It had been years since she had tapped into the light side of the force and she didn't plan to do so. She simply planned to observe it. Ever since she had killed off most of the jedi, the light side was substantially weakened. There had been no activity from it in the last twenty-one years… Until today. It was getting stronger. Something was going on, and she didn't like it. The dark side of the force was still superior of course, but the long since dormant light side of the force was now active.

She called her ladies and waited while still in a meditative position. The thought of her ladies made her angry, not that they had done anything. They had been loyal to her for the last eighteen years. It was that Palpatine wouldn't let her replace the two she had lost over three years ago. She'd have done it anyway if it weren't for the fact that her master was more concerned about looking for Luke Skywalker. He was going to replace her. She just knew it and now the jedi wanted to train him. Palpatine would not like that, and that's why she would not tell him what she had felt in the force.

In fact, it worked in Darth Pesinoé's favor that Skywalker's son was trained in the ways of the jedi. It would make it all the more harder for Palpatine to turn him. When he was trained, she would find him and present him before the emperor. When he refused to turn, Palpatine would kill him and she in turn would kill her master with the help of her new apprentice… Once she found her that is.

"Yes milady?" the torgruta said for the seven of them.

"What is the report on the location of the rebel base?"

"We have found nothing milady, but from intelligence reports we are sure the Skywalkers are still with them," the blonde haired human said.

Pesinoé nodded. "I have a feeling that we will soon be finding them. Your next instructions never leave this room. I am only going to say this to you once, so listen carefully. When we find the rebel base, you are to let Luke Skywalker escape, but make sure you put up a fight. Do not kill him. I am certain he will go to complete his training in the ways of the jedi. That will buy us time to capture his father and his sister. When we have them he will eventually come to us… after I have trained my apprentice of course and by then he'll be so indoctrinated in the ways of the jedi, he will not turn. I can count on it. Then the rest of my plan will come into place."

"But milady, what if the emperor catches whiff of our plan?" the Twi'lek asked.

"He won't. That's why we're going to make this as convincing as possible. We're going to be as obvious as possible to make the rebels aware of our presence ahead of time."

"How will you do that milady?"

Pesinoé laughed. "For once I am thankful for the male ego and their incompetence in effort to buck female authority. I'm practically counting on Ozzel to mess this up somehow."

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**AN**: This story turned out to have a mind of its own. I almost couldn't contain it. It's fifteen chapters long and since I may very well add more as I tend to do in my stories, it may get longer. Alright that's it. Tell me how you like it. I'm not sure how often I'll update since I'm simultaneously working on _Light of Liberty_. It'll be often, I just don't want to forget to update because I'm working on that. Anyway, Hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Twelve reviews! In one night I got twelve reviews! That was amazing. Do you know how good I felt? I felt so good I decided to put the next chapter up pronto. I was actually thinking about putting this and the next one up, but decided against it. Anyway, I'm so amazed that I don't remember any comments I had. Read, enjoy, and review! Wow… Twelve reviews in one night…

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Chapter Two

"Echo three to Echo Seven. Han, old buddy, do you read me?" Luke asked into his com.

"Loud and clear kid. What's up?"

"I finished my circle. I don't pick up any life readings," said Luke.

"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser. The sensors are placed. I'm going back," Han declared.

"Right," Luke agreed. "I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long."

Luke turned off his com and stuck it in his coat. He cursed the day that the rebel leaders decided that it was smart to create a rebel base on Hoth. Leia wouldn't tell him whose idea it was in fear of what might happen to the person. It wasn't that she thought Luke would do anything, she was afraid of the pranks the rouge squadron would play. She was also afraid Alex might kill the person. Alex didn't go a day without cursing the person across the galaxy and back every day as it was.

It had been an interesting three years to say the least. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd be part of the rebellion. It kept him busy. That was for sure. In the last three years, Alex had also taught him some of the ways of the jedi. But it wasn't as much as he could have since they were constantly doing something for the rebellion. However, his and Leia's bond had gotten stronger, and they could connect telepathically most of the time. Because of this bond, he was also aware of the huge crush she had on a certain pirate. He had teased his twin about it mercilessly. Luke didn't see a problem with it really. Hopefully the two would tell each other before they killed each other. Strangely though, it was Alex who had the problem with it, and Luke didn't know if it was the fact that someone was interested in Leia in general or if it was because he didn't really like Han much. Luke didn't know. Alex claimed he was doing it in the name of their father.

"What's wrong girl?" Luke asked trying to settle the beast before a large hand knocked him back.

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"Luke," Leia said in the command center. Something wasn't right. She started to inquire about him until she overheard a conversation with Han and Rieekan.

"No signs of life out there general. The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around," Han reported.

"Commander Skywalker reported in yet?" the general asked.

"No," Han replied shaking his head. "He's checking out a meteorite that hit near him."

Rieekan turned to the radar screen. "With all the meteor activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships.

Leia noticed that Han seemed to be trying to say something. He always stood like he was standing when he was trying to get the nerve to say something he didn't want to. She cursed herself. She should know that much about him. Luke already teased her enough as it was.

"General, I've got to leave. I can't stay here anymore," Han replied.

Leia started. He was leaving? Why would he do that all of a sudden? Sure he always said he wasn't going to stick around, but one would think that after three years he'd realize that he was needed and wanted here. Perhaps he was just talking like he always did. But Han sounded a little too serious about it this time, especially if he had taken the time to tell the general about it.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rieekan replied.

"Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hut¸ I'm a dead man."

"A death mark's not an easy thing to live with. You're a good fighter Solo. I hate to lose you."

Leia rolled her eyes. Everyone in the rebellion had a death mark on them, and she Luke and Han were probably at the top of the list. Han would pay off Jabba and then what?

"Well your Highness, I guess this is it," Han said turning to her.

"That's right," Leia said coldly. Forget Han. If he didn't want to stay then that was on him.

"Well, don't get all mushy on me. So long Princess," Han said in a sarcastic tone as he left.

Leia sighed before going after him. "Han!"

"Yes your highnessness?"

"I thought you decided to stay?"

"Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind," Han muttered.

"Han, we need you," Leia said with a little too much feeling.

"We?"

Leia knew that tone. He was trying to mess with her. She could sense it. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Yes," Leia said through her teeth.

"Oh? And what about what you need?"

Leia was torn between cursing Han and blurting out her heart to him right then and there.

"What I need?" she asked instead and played dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't."

Leia sighed. She had no time for this. "What am I supposed to know?"

"Come on! You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me," Han insisted.

"Yes. You're a great help to us, a natural leader," Leia replied although she knew full well what Han was talking about.

"That's not it! Come on!"

Leia laughed. She'd never admit it, but she enjoyed her little banters with Han. "You're imaging things."

"Then why are you following me? Afraid I'd leave without giving you a good-bye kiss?" he taunted.

Leia huffed. Han wasn't going to win this one. "I'd sooner kiss a wookie!"

"I can arrange that," Han snapped and stormed down the corridor.

Leia sighed. Perfect, now he was mad at her. She was the one that usually left in a huff. She heard laughter from behind her and turned to see her caretaker. Leia scowled.

"Can it Pemé," she snapped.

"I've been taking care of you since you were a baby Leia Amidala Skywalker. Don't talk to me like that," the woman said frowning and Leia smiled. Technically, she was still Leia Organa, but the older woman preferred to call her by the name that was on her birth certificate.

Padmé then laughed. "Besides, it's just so funny. It's apparent you two are attracted to each other."

"That's absurd!"

Padmé gave Leia a pointed look. Leia cringed.

"Is it really that obvious?"

Padmé put her arm around Leia's shoulder and led her down the corridor.

"Only when you're observing from the outside. Even Alex notices it," Padmé replied.

"I know." Leia moaned. "He's far from happy about it. He'll probably be happy Han's leaving. I bet he'll say 'good riddance' and that I was too good for him anyway. Why does he care so much anyway?" Leia asked softly.

"Cheer up dear. Alex was very close to you and Luke's father, and feels that, since he isn't here, he should stand in the place your father would have been in. Deep down, he wants you to be happy and if Han makes you happy, then Alex will get over it. And if Han really cares about you, he won't be gone for long, if he leaves at all," Padmé assured.

Leia shrugged. "I guess. I hate feeling like this."

"I know you do. Your mother and father were the same way when they fell in love. Not only were they both stubborn, but it was forbidden at the time. Count yourself lucky that you don't have the added obstacle," Padmé said with a sad smile.

Leia sensed her sudden sadness and frowned. "Are you alright Pemé?"

"Oh," Padmé said looking away. "I'm fine. Why don't you go find Luke? Being around your brother might cheer you up."

Leia's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten.

"Luke!" she said and ran down the corridor while trying to reach him through their bond. He wasn't answering her.

As she turned the corner, she crashed into Alex who caught her before she fell backwards.

"Why are you in such a rush?" he asked.

"Have you seen Luke?" Leia asked urgently.

"No. Why?"

Leia started down the hall again in a fast walk. Anakin followed her.

"Leia, what's going on?" Anakin asked having a hard time keeping up with her. Usually, it was the other way around.

"Something's wrong. Luke's not answering me," Leia said frantically.

Anakin touched the force to find Luke and realized Leia's fear was rational. Something wasn't right. He wasn't dead, but Luke was certainly in a weakened state.

"Maybe he's with Han," Leia said suddenly and took out her com. "Han! Han!"

She groaned and tried again.

"He's not answering," Leia snapped.

Anakin regarded Leia. She felt a little guilty about something but he'd ask her later. Right then, they had to find Luke.

"Artoo," Anakin said into his comlink. "Go find Han. Ask him if he's seen Luke. We don't know where he is."

A series of beeps and whistles came through before the connection closed. Anakin started down the corridor again. Leia followed.

"Where are we going?"

"To see if Luke ever got back in," he declared.

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"Sir," a deck officer was saying to Han as Leia and Anakin came up on them. "Commander Skywalker hasn't come in through the south entrance. He might have forgotten to check in."

"Not likely," Han replied. "Are the speeders ready?"

The officer shook his head. "Not yet. We're having some trouble adapting them to the cold."

Anakin rolled his eyes and began saying a string of obscenities in huttese. Luke just couldn't stay out of trouble for one day. That's all he asked. If he wasn't in danger, he was getting into trouble with the rogue squadron by playing pranks on the rebel leaders or persuading Leia to mess with his heater controls… He was still sour about that trick since they knew he hated the cold in the first place.

"Where are the speeders?" Anakin asked finally.

"Over there sir, but-."

Anakin went over to one of the speeder and lifted up the hood. He used the forced to help guide him to adjusting the parts that would help keep the car more heated and closed it.

As he got in the speeder, Han said, "Hey! Could you do one for me?"

"I can find Luke on my own thank you," Anakin replied.

"We'll cover more ground if both of us go," Han pointed out.

"We'd only end up needing to rescue you," Anakin said and then added, "That might not be such a bad idea actually. If you want to look for Luke, take one of the Tauntauns. Do me a favor and freeze to death while you're out there."

"That's cold Alex!" Han shouted as the older man took the speeder out into the snow.

Han went over to the Tauntauns.

"Han," Leia said racing behind him. "Alex can handle it. He's the jedi. That Tauntaun will freeze to death before you reach the first marker!"

"Then I'll see you in hell ice princess," Han snapped and took off into the cold.

Leia resisted the urge to scream. "Men and their egos. Really!"

A few hours later, Leia stood in the entrance waiting anxiously for Alex and Han to get back with Luke. They'd be back. That much she was sure of. She just didn't know when.

"Sir!" a lieutenant said to the officer that was standing next to Leia. "All patrols are in. There's still no contact from the Skywalkers or Solo."

"Miss Leia," Threepio then began. "Artoo says he's been quite unable to pick up any signals, although he does admit that his own range is far too weak to abandon all hope."

Leia nodded. They were all fine, she just knew it. Peme had come by earlier and though she was also worried, she had full confidence that Alex, Luke, and Han would be back. She took comfort in it. Pemé would know. Her husband was a jedi.

"Close the doors," the officer said next to her.

Leia sighed, silently hoping to the force that her friends were alright. Then she paused on the way to her room. She wasn't getting sleep because of nightmares to begin with, but with Luke, Han, and Alex in danger, she wasn't even going to try. She headed toward the control room instead. She may as well see what work was left to be done.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I can't believe this," Anakin muttered. "I have to spend an entire night with you of all people and in the cold no less."

"Aw stop your complaining jedi," Han snapped rubbing his shoulders. "I'm not too happy about it either."

"That makes two of us," Anakin muttered trying to keep a fire lit in the cold cave. He could only use the force for so long to keep the wind from blowing it out.

"Listen you, you may not like me, and I'm not crazy about you either, but you should be more concerned about Luke. So far it looks like I'm the only one watching him," Han shot.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Of course a pirate like you wouldn't understand anything about the force. I'll know if Luke gets worse long before you do. I can sense him."

"Well doesn't that make me feel a whole lot better," Han muttered and then added, "Quite honestly I'm glad Luke didn't inherit you personality along with your hokey religion. Unfortunately, Leia did."

Anakin lost his focus on the force in surprise. The fire went out. "What?"

"You heard me. You're related to the two of them aren't you?" Han asked with his trademark smirk.

"How did you figure it out?" Anakin asked. Clearly he had underestimated Han's intelligence.

"It's impossible not to figure it out. You may have that beard, but Luke looks just like you and you're very protective of Leia," Han replied dryly. "So what are you? An uncle? Distant cousin maybe?"

Anakin shrugged. "I guess so. You figure it out."

"Wait until Luke and Leia find out about this."

"They won't find out from you," Anakin warned.

"And what's going to stop me?" Han asked and felt a mysterious pressure on his neck suddenly. "Right. They won't find out from me. The question is why?"

"It's too dangerous for them to know. As long as they don't know who I am, Darth Pesinoé can't use me against them. It's safer that way. They have each other. That'll do for now, at least until this war is over," Anakin replied not thinking that Han deserved to know the real reason. It was none of his business.

"If it ever ends at all," Han muttered dryly.

Anakin sighed. He had been feeling that same way since Luke and Leia were born. Both he and Han turned to Luke as the young man began to mutter things in his delirious state.

"Ben," he said.

"Hey?" Han replied. "Isn't that the name of that old jedi Pesinoé killed on the death star?"

"Sh!" Anakin snapped as Luke continued to say things.

"Got to go to… Dagobah. Find… Yoda," he murmured.

"Who's Yoda?" Han asked.

Anakin leaned back against the cold wall. "An old jedi. One of the last remaining jedi besides me. The old council wants Luke to be trained. They chose a remarkable time to let him know… While he was in a blizzard, freezing to death."

Han started to ask how Anakin could talk to the old council if they were dead and then thought better of it. Some things about the jedi he would never understand, nor did he ever want to try understanding. He was better off not knowing.

"Yoda?" Han repeated instead. "That name sounds familiar."

"Probably," said Anakin. "He was known as one of the oldest and most powerful jedi in the order back in the days of the republic."

"Hm," said Han.

"Hm what?"

"Nothing," Han said. "Just the last thing I need is another jedi around if he's anything like you and that crazy old wizard."

Anakin glared at him and then turned to the cave entrance. "Go to sleep. I'll watch out. Hopefully, you'll die in your sleep from the cold."

Han looked at Luke. He was worried about Luke. The old wizard would make sure he was taken care of. However, he didn't trust that he could say the same for himself. Han leaned on a wall, but didn't plan on getting much sleep. He could never know with Alex… Sometimes he thought that guy would make a better sith than he did a jedi.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** I always figured Han is much smarter than people give him credit for which is why he figures out Anakin has a connection with Luke and Leia. The next chapter really gets the story moving. Quite a few things happen in it, including some elaboration on Leia's nightmares. I still can't get over it though… Twelve reviews! Hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	3. Chapter 3

I'm going to be starting school soon again and figured, well until school starts, why not update this every day until Monday, especially because of all the reviews? (You all really know how to make a girl happy in that area by the way. Cue the anime eyes with big sparkling hearts in them). But seriously, my computer time is going to be seriously crippled when I start school. I'll be back to at least four classes, but thankfully they won't last two and a half hours. So after Monday, I'll be updating this every other day or so. Depends on what kind of homework I have and how mean my teachers are and if I have to study. I've gotten by not studying much so far but I might be forced to with this political science I have to take. Anyone want to tell me what political science has to do with English? Anywho, a million thanks for all the reviews.

Now one thing. I seriously considered taking out the part in the medbay completely but decided to leave it. You'll see what I'm talking about. Alright on with the next chapter. I may post the next chapter if I have time later, after I update_ Light of Liberty_. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Three

Luke was the only one who knew about Leia's nightmares, and although he had teased her when she first asked, Leia had taken to sleeping in his room on the couch. Otherwise, the nightmares returned. She hadn't had nightmares steadily in years, not since she was about twelve, and she hadn't had any at all since she was fourteen.

But tonight, Luke was somewhere on Hoth, probably freezing, with Han and Alex. So to avoid having a nightmare that night, Leia decided to stay awake and get some paper work done for the rebellion.

She sighed and looked at the time. Two o'clock… It was time for another cup of coffee. She was exhausted. Leia poured another cup of coffee and began to sip on it.

_Leia…_

She dropped her mug and turned around.

"Who's there?" she asked and when no one returned her call she grabbed a towel to clean up the coffee and pick up the broken pieces of glass.

"Maybe I do need some sleep," she said and dumped the towel with the glass in it in the trash. She clicked off the light and looked at her bed cautiously, as though it might jump up and eat her.

Leia laughed at her silliness and got into the bed. She didn't know how tired she was because she didn't remember falling asleep. She did remember the nightmare though.

"_Leia," someone was calling, demanding more like it._

_Leia didn't know what was going on._

"_Leia!"_

"_Leave me alone," Leia said terrified of whatever it was._

"_You're mine and you can feel it. You shouldn't disobey me little one," the shadowy silhouette said. Leia rounded a corner and gasped when she came upon a door. She ran to open but knew before she twisted the knob it wouldn't open._

"_Leia Skywalker," the person said rounding the corner. "I've been looking for you for a long time."_

"_Leave me alone," Leia said sliding down the wall crying._

"_Leia," a softer voice said in her head, a male voice. "It's alright. She's not going to hurt you. I promise."_

"_But she's the bad woman," Leia replied trying to scoot further away from the person that was slowly making their way toward her._

"_Don't worry. I'm here Leia. I love you."_

_Leia recognized that voice. "Daddy!"_

"_Yes Leia."_

"_Daddy help me!"_

"_I can't."_

_The figure reached out to her. "I've got you now princess. From now on, you can call me Master."_

"_No!" Leia screamed as darkness engulfed her._

"No!" Leia screamed and shot out of bed. She looked around and realized she was back in her room on the rebel base. She felt seven years old all over again.

Leia got out of bed trembling and went to her bathroom to throw some water on her face. She hadn't had that particular dream in years. She first had it when she was seven and it hadn't stopped until she was about fourteen. She didn't know what it was about that year. It was somewhere around the time Alex had visited Pemé when they were on Alderaan that they went away. She had been grateful.

However, after the destruction of the death star they had started up again. First they were scattered and then more frequent. Now they came to her every night. She probably looked a mess and then there was that shadow, the bad woman.

Not much scared Leia. In fact, hardly anything did. She had never been the conventional princess. She had loved speeders and swoop bikes and getting her hands dirty. Sure, she had grown into liking dresses and getting her hair done (so long as it wasn't the one where they wrapped her hair around her ears) and acting like a future queen should, but her aunts were never satisfied with her-what they called- masculine tendencies. Leia rolled her eyes at the thought and so had Pemé, especially when her aunts insisted that she didn't need to know how to shoot a blaster. She had courage. That was for sure.

But nothing had shaken her like the bad woman did, even if it was a figment of her imagination. Something about the woman was dark, and she didn't like it. She felt trapped with no way out in those dreams. It was almost like she was dying.

Leia yawned again. She was still tired, but it was only three o'clock, and she didn't want to go back to sleep. It was time for her to put on another pot of coffee.

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It took Anakin much effort to keep Padmé and Leia at bay when he and Han brought Luke back into the base the next morning. They immediately took him to the med-center. He had to be fully submersed in bacta for twenty-four hours before he was well enough to simply recover in bed.

When he was awakened Padmé rushed to the med-center with Leia and engulfed him in a hug.

"We were so worried about you dear?" Padmé said beginning to inspect the wounds on his face. "Those are horrible. Hopefully they won't leave scars."

"Really Pemé," Luke assured. "I'm fine."

"How are you feeling Luke?" Anakin asked coming into the room followed by Han.

"Alright I guess," Luke said. "I feel like I'm forgetting something very important though. Something to do with something I saw in the snow."

Anakin frowned and exchanged a glance with Padmé before Leia spoke.

"Whatever it is, forget all about it. You need to recover," she said fixing the sheets on his spread.

"Yeah," Han muttered. "Her highnessness has been worried sick about you. She was practically checking on you through your freaky twin force bond every five minutes."

"What are you still doing here anyway?" Luke asked. Last he heard, Han was supposed to be leaving.

"Well," Han said. "I couldn't very well leave without knowing if you were alright for sure and the other reason is because of princess over there."

"I had nothing to do with it," Leia replied. Padmé gave her a smug look that said she obviously didn't believe her but Leia pressed on. "General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield."

Anakin rolled his eyes deciding it wasn't worth his time to follow their banter. He rather them argue than act out on their feelings though. He turned to Luke.

"We have to talk later alright?" he asked.

"Sure Alex," Luke said clearly enjoying Han and Leia's arguing. "How much do you want to bet they end up making out in the next week if they keep arguing like this?"

"Over my dead body," Anakin said glaring and then suddenly Leia was in front of him.

"Well I guess you don't know everything about women yet," she snapped and then looked at Pemé.

"Forgive me," she said and the pressed her lips to Anakin's.

Anakin would have rather died a painful death in a sarlaac twice over. When Leia pulled away she turned on her heel and stomped out the room.

Anakin was dumbstruck. Luke was laughing his head off. It was just what he needed to feel better. Padmé was scowling with her arms crossed, and Han was practically turning red in frustration at the game while muttering something along the lines of, "Her highness must have a fixation with men much older than she is..."

"Well, at least she got her impulsiveness and boldness honestly. Don't you think so Alex?" Padmé asked leaving the room herself even though Luke could feel her amusement.

An alarm sounds overhead and Han bid Luke farewell while following Artoo, Threepio and Chewie out.

"That couldn't have come at a more perfect time," Anakin muttered sitting on the bed still disturbed by the fact that his own daughter had kissed him, unknowingly and in innocence yes, but still…

"What is it?" Luke asked. "You seem bothered by something,"

"Tell me about what you saw in the snow yesterday?" Anakin said.

Luke thought back and then gasped. "I thought it was a dream. It was Ben, but it was weird. He was transparent and glowing kind of blue. He told me to find Yoda on Dagobah…" Luke trailed off as he detected the older man's frustration and displeasure at something.

"What's wrong Alex?" he asked.

Anakin took a seat next to Luke. "You weren't dreaming. When Obi-Wan died he became one with the force and through a special training we went through he can return intact to talk to us."

"Really?" Luke asked. "Can you do it?"

"Yes, but I'd like to think my death is a long time from now," said Anakin with a smile.

"So what did he mean about finding Yoda,"

"Yoda was the grand master jedi of the order before the purges. He, along with me, is the only jedi left from then. Anyway, the council wants you to find Yoda so that he may complete your training," Alex explained.

"The council? Aren't they dead?"

"Luke, no one every truly dies. The force just calls them home. When we are sleep or in meditation, we can be brought to their realm and speak to them."

"So they want Yoda to train me?" Luke asked just to be sure. He wasn't sure he liked that idea and he could tell for some reason, neither did Alex.

"Your father wasn't happy about it," Anakin said through his teeth.

Luke almost jumped out of bed. "You saw my father?"

Anakin sighed. He wished he could just tell Luke who he was. But if he did that… he wouldn't put it past the jedi to somehow keep him and Padmé from the twins in the name of the greater good.

"Yes and he doesn't agree with you being trained by Yoda and neither do I."

"Why?"

Anakin proceeded to explain to Luke about the code and how attachments, especially personal relationships, were banned in the order.

"Your father broke the code by marrying your mother and I did as well. The council wants to build the order the exact same way it was and we don't agree with it. The order's been the same for the last thousand years while the entire galaxy has changed and adapted in that time. We've challenged that aspect of the code and the council has decided to talk about it," Anakin paused and then continued.

"Your father and I don't want you to feel obligated to become a jedi and live up to that. Following that is a lonely life and we'd prefer that it be changed before you really get into your training and Yoda indoctrinates that into you. Unfortunately we can't wait for them to come to a decision. We must start your training."

Luke leaned back on the bed in thought. Alex was right. That did seem like a lonely life, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be part of it when it was put that way. Not that it seemed bad, it was just a lot to sacrifice. Not loving was like sacrificing a part of his humanity. But this was bigger than him. He didn't only need to become a jedi for himself, he needed to become a jedi for the sake of the galaxy.

"I'll do it," he finally said. "To be honest, I can't make this decision based on my personal feelings on the matter."

Anakin felt himself swell up in pride. Luke was so much like his mother in that respect by putting his duty before his own desires. He then knew that no matter what he preferred, Luke would become a jedi and a great one at that. He had his mothers unending love and selflessness for people in general.

"Besides," continued Luke. "I can always just break the code like you and my dad did if I meet someone one day and it feels like the right thing to do."

Anakin nodded. "Exactly. You do what feels right in the force. Many jedi have made the mistake of serving the code before the force, and it crippled their potential. Always serve the force first, even if it means abandoning the code."

Luke nodded and felt almost like he was talking to his own father. He had always felt that way around Alex and it had nothing to do with knowing him for a long time. He had never felt this around his uncle.

"Oh yeah. What about Leia. Will she be trained?"

Anakin frowned. "Until this matter on emotional attachments and relationships is decided on, your father will not allow the council to make Leia pursue further training in the force. Besides, she seems happier in the political arena."

Luke became a little more solemn and glanced at Anakin before turning away with his arms crossed.

"What is it?" Anakin asked.

Luke sighed. "She doesn't want anyone to know, but since she won't be trained yet…"

"Tell me."

"She's been having nightmares lately," Luke explained. Anakin didn't say anything as he waited for Luke to continue. There was obviously something else.

"She's been having them for the last three years. It's odd that they suddenly started but she says nightmares are nothing new to her. She used to have them all the time when she was younger. I thought she was just spooked by some nonsense until she told me what was in them," Luke added.

"What are they about?" Anakin asked, cold gripping his heart. It seemed like Leia had inherited a lot more from him that just his temper.

Luke couldn't really describe it except for how Leia had told him.

"The bad woman" Luke said simply.

"Who?" Anakin asked in confusion. It sounded like something a seven year old would say.

"Leia's been calling her that since she was seven."

Anakin gasped. "That long?"

"They stopped when she was fourteen and now they've started up again. In that dream, this bad woman is chasing her and she can hear our father's voice."

"Your father?" Anakin said. "How does she know?"

Luke shrugged. "She remembers him telling her he loved her when she was a baby, only a few days old. I remember too," Luke added avoiding the older man's gaze. "Our mother was so sad and our dad was heartbroken over Darth Pesinoé. Anyway, our father is telling her that this bad woman isn't going to hurt her, and that she should trust him and go with her. That's only one of her dreams. She has many more."

"How many?" Anakin asked.

"At least two more. The bad woman is always in them. In some she's chasing her and in some the bad woman has her and is fighting her. We can never make much out of them. But Leia always says she feels like her mind is being invaded somehow. Like someone is trying to reach her."

Anakin sighed. This was hauntingly familiar to him. Only one possibility came up in his mind, but he was hesitant about saying anything about it. Maybe if he didn't say anything it would pass, but he wasn't so sure. Luke sensed his hesitancy and scowled.

"I'm not a child. You can tell me what's going on, especially if it has something to do with my sister," he demanded.

"Sometimes, ignorance is a bliss Luke."

Luke crossed his arms and decided then and there Alex was hiding something more than just the meaning of Leia's dreams from him. It wasn't bad, but there was something else and he intended to find out what.

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**AN:** Yeah so... I'll admit I was going to take out the part where Leia kissed Anakin, but I figured she didn't know Luke was her brother in that point in the original canon trilogy, but I'm pretty sure she saw him as a brother by that point and did it anyway. I had mixed feelings on it, but I thought I'd bring it up later as a moment to laugh about. I can't wait to put up the next chapter! Pesinoe makes another appearance and she and Anakin duel! Yay! That's why I said I may post the chapter later today. You've all been waiting so patiently for that scene. I can't deny you of it. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	4. Chapter 4

Talk about multitasking people. I'm going to be so busy! So I've made up my mind to finish typing this saga so I won't have to when I really get into my school semester. Other than that, not much to say on the chapter until the end except a million thanks for your reviews. Speaking of those, I was so tickled by you JediAnne. Do you know that's the first time anyone requested that of me? My teachers all used to kill me about run on sentences and too long sentences, so I started writing short sentences to avoid it. But I completely get what you mean. That's for pointing it out. Lol.

Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Four

Pesinoé sat in a chair with her legs crossed impatiently as her crew tried to find the location of the rebel base. She had been able to handpick her crew and she had only gotten the best. Her favorite, although she'd never admit it, was Captain Piett. He seemed like a competent man. However, Admiral Ozzel was hardheaded. She watched the two men in the corner and leaned her face in her hand.

She knew her ladies and her storm troopers were betting on how long it would be before she killed Ozzel and promoted Piett. It wouldn't be that long. She could sense it.

"Admiral," Piett said.

"Yes captain?"

"I think we have something sir. The report is only a fragment from a probe droid in the Hoth system, but it's the best lead we've had," Piett explained.

Ozzel groaned in irritation and snapped, "We've had thousands of probes searching the galaxy. I want proof, not leads!"

"This visual indicates live readings."

"It could mean anything. If we followed every lead-."

"But sir, the Hoth system is supposed to be devoid of human forms," Piett insisted.

Pesinoé looked up at this. Piett was an intelligent man. Of course life on a planet supposed to be devoid of humans was suspicious. She stood up and looked at the screen. There was some kind of base and speeders were going to and from it.

"Found it," Pesinoé declared with certainty. "This is it. The rebels are there."

"Milady, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers. It could be-."

"Ozzell dear," Pesinoé said rubbing her fingers over his chest lightly. "I highly doubt people as money hungry as smugglers would waste their time and risk their lives on a planet as cold and desolate as Hoth. This is the system. I'm sure of it. The Skywalkers are there. Set course for the Hoth system. General, prepare your men."

As Pesinoé walked away, it was deathly silent. Her rubbing her fingers on someone's chest was never a good thing. It meant she was growing tired of someone. It was only a matter of time before he was dead unless he got his act together.

Pesinoé, however, was more concerned about the small vessel that was headed towards her star destroyer. She went to the hanger to meet it and raised her eyebrows as it landed. She nearly lost control of the force causing the light to flicker when she saw who was at the top of the ramp.

"Hello _milady_," the red head woman said mockingly making her way down.

Pesinoé growled. "Pleasure, Mara Jade."

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin tensely worked on the falcon while the base prepared to evacuate. He just had a feeling that this was the first crisis in a string of events that were happening, and that both Luke and Leia would have something to do with it. Leia's nightmares were foretelling them of something.

"What are you doing?" Han asked.

"Trying to undo the damage you and Chewie have done to this ship. Really, to call yourselves mechanics. Every time I fix something, you two undo it. This ship will never be up to par if you two keep doing that," he muttered.

Chewie growled something indignantly and Anakin rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't trying to insult you. It's fact," Anakin said.

Even though he still didn't like Han, they had come to some sort of agreement with the ship. He had been fixing on it since the death star and still he hadn't made much progress on it, all because Han and Chewie destroyed the ship more than they fixed it.

Han rolled his eyes and proceeded to talk to a droid and then bid good luck to Luke who was passing by. Normally, Anakin would have been going the same place as Luke, but today, he felt that he was needed more on the base during the evacuation that in the heat of the battle. The force was telling him.

One of the commanders would probably kill him. But he was pretty much his own man on the base and when it came to the force, he'd sooner listen to it than the commander.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé was enraged. Yeah sure, the emperor had sent one of his best hands to help. Mara Jade was there to spy on her and she knew it. Pesinoé never generally had much of a problem with Mara Jade except for her unwavering loyalty to her master. It caused them to clash on more than a few occasions. Mara obeyed the emperor without question. Pesinoé didn't care that her master could read the future so well he could write history books on things that hadn't happened yet. She did what she felt needed to be done because honestly, her master was always so stuck on the future, he forgot the present. It was his biggest weakness. Mara didn't seem to understand that though and Pesinoé wasn't surprised. The emperor had severely crippled her force potential by making her blindly devoted to him. If it weren't for that, Pesinoé would have made Mara Jade her apprentice ages ago.

However, the two had a bit of an understanding. They were both women who had made a way in a male dominated empire. It was the only thing that kept Pesinoé from getting rid of the girl. That and she didn't think the emperor would be too happy about it.

"Have you found the location of the rebel base yet?" she asked and Pesinoé nodded.

"The Hoth system," she said.

"And what is our course of action?" Mara asked.

"Attack and conquer dear," Pesinoé said as General veers came upon them. "What?"

"Milady," he said nodding his head in respect to both of them. "The fleet has moved out of light speed. Com-Scan has detected an energy field protecting an area around the sixth planet of the Hoth system. The field is strong enough to deflect any bombarding."

Pesinoé feigned anger on the outside, but inside she was absolutely pleased. She had known the admiral would do something stupid that would set her plan into motion.

"The rebels are alerted to our presence. The admiral came out of light speed too close to the system," Mara said to Pesinoé who crossed her arms.

"He felt surprise was wiser," Veers said.

Had this not been part of her plan as it was, Pesinoé would have been steamed. She had given Ozzel specific instructions and he deliberately disobeyed them. Really!

"He's as clumsy as he is stupid," Pesinoé said honestly. "Prepare for a surface attack."

"Yes milady," he said and walked away.

Pesinoé gestured for Mara to follow her and went to the where the admiral was. He turned to face her and said, "Lady Pesinoé. The fleet has moved out of light speed and we're preparing to-."

The admiral began to clutch painfully at his chest.

"You have failed me for the last time Admiral," Pesinoé decided. "Captain Piett."

The younger man stepped forward as the admiral fell to the floor clutching his heart in pain.

"Yes milady?"

"Get ready to land troops beyond the energy shield and deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off that system," Pesinoé said although she fully intended for Skywalker and his children to escape. "You're in command now Admiral."

"Ozzel," Pesinoé continued barely hearing Piett's thanks. "This is how it feels to have your heart broken and snatched out of your chest."

The older man suddenly gasped as his heart came right out his chest and landed on the floor next to his dead body.

"Captain Rex," Pesinoé said to her faithful storm trooper. She had known him during the clone wars and after them. It was almost unheard of for a clone to last as long as he had. It just went to show his competency.

"Yes milady," he said to the woman he had known since she was a teenager.

"Find someone to clean this up," she said. "Mara, I want you to come with me. I'm going to get ready to land as soon as Veers has that shield down.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin paced worriedly on the falcon. He probably should have left with a transport a long time ago, but something had told him to hold back.

"Ani," Padmé's voice said and he turned around to see her standing behind him.

"Padmé," he said and pulled her to him. "What are you still doing here? You should have been long gone off this ice ball."

Padmé smiled. "I know. But I wasn't leaving without you. Why are you still here?"

Anakin shrugged. "I don't know. The force is telling me to stay put."

"Well then, I'm staying with you."

"Padmé," Anakin said sighing before Han came up to them.

"Pemé, there you are. Did Leia happen to get on one of the transports already?"

Padmé shook her head. "I didn't see her. Why?"

Han and Anakin began to curse, albeit Anakin was doing so in Huttese.

"I should have known," Anakin said and strode out the ship with Han. Padmé followed close behind him.

They found Leia in the control room with Threepio near one of the control boards. Han went up to her and Leia blinked in surprise. She thought the smuggler would have been long gone by now.

"You okay?" he asked in concern.

"Why should you care?" Anakin asked coming up next to him. He didn't like how Leia seemed to be so pleased that Han was concerned about her.

"What are you still doing here?" Leia asked looking at all three of them, but directing her question to Han.

"I heard the command center had been hit," Han replied.

"You got your clearance to leave," Leia reminded.

"We'll all leave as soon as you're on your ship dear," Padmé said firmly. There was no way she was leaving the base before her child did.

"They're right your highness," Threepio said. "You must take the last transport. It's our only hope."

Leia began to protest and Anakin was ready to fight her when the entire base shook. Leia paled and Anakin looked at her. Apparently, she had felt the same thing he had.

"It's the bad woman," Leia muttered as she turned white and began to tremble.

"Leia," Anakin said and rushed to steady her. Padmé made a face that told him he had seen her look this way before, but it had apparently been a while.

"Imperial troops have entered the base!" was said over the loud speaker.

"Come on," Han said grabbing Leia's arm. "We've got to go."

Anakin started to help guide Leia out when Padmé went over to the control board.

"Take Leia," he said to Han and went to grab Padmé.

"Give the evacuation code signal and get to your transports!" she said to the remaining controllers.

"Come on!" Anakin said pulling Padmé away. "Leia's already gone with Han and Threepio."

Padmé nodded and they followed the same way Han had taken Leia seconds earlier. It didn't take long to catch up with them seeing as Leia was barely walking and a cave-in was blocking the way. Han was putting away his com and turning around.

"Where are we going?" Padmé asked.

"The Falcon!" Han said.

"Wait!" Leia said getting hold of herself. "Where's Luke?"

Anakin searched the force and was relieved to feel Luke. "He's fine. He'll get away. Don't worry about him. We have to get out of here. I sense something ominous. It's not exactly clear but it's got something to do with-."

Anakin stopped as he crashed into Padme who had crashed in Han and Threepio.

"Why did you stop?" Anakin asked as Han pointed to Leia who had stopped frozen in fear as Han tried to get her to keep going. But the girl was refusing to walk by the intersecting tunnel.

"Leia," Padmé said urgently trying to snap the girl out her trance. She had seen this before. "What is it?"

"The bad woman," Anakin said gravely and Padmé gasped.

"She's been having those nightmares again?" Padmé asked recognizing Leia's behavior. "She's here."

Anakin nodded. "It's-."

"Well it looks like this is going to be much easier than I thought," a voice drawled. "Long time, no see _master_." The voice said mockingly.

"Darth Pesinoé," Anakin said stepping forward.

The torgruta woman smiled, but it was far from inviting. Mara Jade stepped next to her with a light saber ready to go.

"How did you get in here so fast? The path was blocked?" Han shouted.

Pesinoé rolled her eyes. "You give me too little credit. It's not that hard for a sith lady and an assassin. The tunnel was blocked so we knew you'd go another way."

"Assassin," Anakin said and turned to the red headed woman next to Pesinoé.

"Is she your apprentice now?" Anakin asked glaring.

Pesinoé laughed. "Of course not. This girl couldn't betray her master if her life depended on it."

_I have someone else in mind,_ Pesinoé thought casting her eyes on Leia and then back to Anakin.

Anakin caught on and lit his light saber.

"Over my dead body," he said.

Pesinoé lit her red one. "That can certainly be arranged."

While Mara, Pesinoé, and Anakin were distracted glaring at each other, Han, Leia, Padmé, and Threepio ducked around the corner to find an alternative route to the falcon.

When Pesinoé noticed she nodded toward them. "Follow them Mara," she said.

Mara looked at her. "Why waste our time? Our orders were to find Skywalker and his son."

"I'm giving you a new order. So long as you here, you'll make yourself useful to my agenda or the emperor will find himself short a spy and a hand," Pesinoé said making known she knew exactly why the emperor had sent Mara.

Mara glared at her before taking off down the tunnel to follow them. Just as soon as she did, Pesinoé struck Anakin with his saber.

Anakin met her strike and all of her other furious strokes after that.

"You've improved," Anakin shot. "You would have made a strong jedi."

"You wish," Pesinoé said and it was then Anakin knew what Leia meant when she said Pesinoé sounded suggestive and sultry anytime she talked, like it was just part of her voice. Constant force seduction had become part of her tone whether she tried to or not.

Pesinoé brought her saber around to swipe at his legs. Anakin jumped over it and swung for her arm.

"You already took my arm once dear. If you want the other one, you're going to have to take everything that comes with it," Pesinoé purred smiling.

Anakin almost forgot that this was a real duel and found himself exasperated at Pesinoé's suggestive jesting, almost mistaking it for playfulness. He had a feeling that somehow, it was both.

"In your dreams Ahsoka," he muttered not realizing the name had slipped out until after he said it.

Pesinoé growled and furiously struck with him with her light saber.

"That name has no meaning to me," she growled.

"Control yourself," Anakin said and force pushed her into the cold wall.

As he brought his saber over his head to strike her, she slid down the wall and pushed to slip right under his legs. Anakin whirled around and flipped over her body before she could stand and crossed blades with her.

"You're holding back," Pesinoé said. "I'm not the little girl you knew twenty years ago."

"I know that, but she's somewhere inside you begging to get out. Otherwise, you wouldn't be holding back either," Anakin shot.

"Your faith in that amuses me," she said making her strokes stronger and immersing herself in the dark side. Anakin felt it and tried to meet her blows.

He was stronger than this and he knew it. But he just couldn't bring himself to hurt her again. He was convinced he could save her.

Pesinoé kicked him in the chest and before he fell backwards he kicked her legs out from under her. Pesinoé knew she probably could have stopped her fall, but let herself fall forward so that she was straddling his waist. Anakin brought up his light saber and she met his blade.

"This is very compromising, isn't it?" she asked.

"You have to move eventually," Anakin said pressing his blade harder against hers.

"You're right," Pesinoé said. "I can't waste my time doing this. I have a future apprentice to go after," she said standing up and removing her lightsaber. She turned her back to him and put out her saber.

Anakin stood up enraged. "You won't touch her!" he yelled and blinding went after Pesinoé. Anakin didn't know how she had done it, and if he had really wanted to fight her, he probably would have sensed it long before she had been able.

Somehow, she blocked his blade and then twisted her blade under his, succeeding in slashing his chest.

He groaned and fell to his knees in pain. Pesinoé looked on passively.

"I could end this now," she said pointing the saber to his chest. "I'd have my revenge."

"However," she said turning out her saber and summoning his to her. "It would be incomplete. You will live to see your daughter as my apprentice."

She took out her com and called Rex and her ladies to bring a medical capsule before bending down and put Anakin's arm around her and lift him to his feet, more careful than she had intended. Pesinoé ignored the blood that had started to seep out through the light saber burn and started to walk down the hall.

Anakin looked up at her and for a brief moment, he felt her caring before it was replaced by darkness. Even she was aware of the small spark of light that had been there.

"Thank you," he muttered through his teeth.

Pesinoé laughed cruelly. "Don't. I'm not doing this for you. I will make your daughter my apprentice and you're going to live to see it. It will make your death even more pleasurable."

Anakin smiled. "Whatever you say, milady."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN**: I've never been good with battle scenes but I thought I'd play on Pesinoe's sith personality as well as keep her in character with her former self by adding some of the playful jesting. Do you know originally Mara wasn't even in this fic? She's probably the only character I like from the extended universe that I decided I would pull too. Anyway, she plays a role in the plot of the story. Another tidbit too, Anakin was supposed to get away on the Falcon and get sick from an infection in his wound when I planned this but again, the story wrote itself and I ended up with this. Don't you hate it when your story just kind of gets so big it's almost out your control? Anywho, hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

You know, this is one of my favorite chapters because of the interaction between Anakin and Pesinoé in it and this chapter seemed long to me, but in reality, it's short than the last one. Maybe it's because so much is happening in it. Other than that little tidbit, nothing else to say until the end. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Five

Leia slowly got out of her trance and felt herself running somewhere. She stopped.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Perfect time for you to be feeling better princess," Han said and pushed her along. "Come on. We have to go."

"Why?" Leia asked and then something whispered a warning in her head. She didn't know how she did it. It would be something she would wonder about for the rest of her life. She pulled the light saber her father left her off her belt, whirled on her feet and lit it just in time to block the oncoming attack from the red headed woman that was chasing them. Leia strained to hold it. The woman had more strength holding her saber with one hand than Leia did hold her own with two hands.

The surprise on the woman's face was obvious. Leia was surprised too but didn't have time to dwell on it. She used the moment of surprise to use her light saber and cut into the ice above them so that it caved in. Mara jumped back to avoid being crushed.

Leia put the weapon back on her belt and began to run back down the tunnel with her other two companions and Threepio not too far behind her.

"Where are we going?" Leia asked Han who was staring at her in shock. "What?"

"Nothing. The Falcon. Get to it," Han shouted then muttering, "I've never been so thankful in my life she carries that thing around with her all the time."

Leia led the way through the tunnels and found their way to the Falcon.

The four sped up the ramp and Han shouted to Chewbacca to get the ship started.

"Wait," Padmé shouted. "Where's my Alex?"

"We don't have time to wait on him. He wanted to get you and Leia away and that's what I'm going to do. That old jedi will be fine," Han shouted as the ramp closed.

"No," Padmé said jumping out the ship.

"No," Leia said as she grabbed the woman's hand struggling to pull the woman back onto the ship before the ramp closed.

"Leia," Padmé said to the young woman. "I'm okay. Let me go. I'll be fine."

"No," Leia said and tears came to her eyes. She didn't know why, but she felt that by letting go of her caretaker, the woman who had been a second mother to her, and the only mother she knew after Breha had died, she was letting go of an important part of her. There was something else about Pemé and somewhere, Leia knew what it was. She just couldn't put her finger on it. "You're coming with us."

"You need to get away," Padmé said as the ship began to lift off the ground. "I'll be fine. I promise. As soon as I find him, I'll be okay."

Leia nodded and let go of the woman, pulling her hand through just as the ramp closed. Padmé fell to the ground hurting her ankle in the process as the ship took off. She stood to her feet, careful not to disturb her injured ankle.

"Anakin," she said heading back down the tunnel to find her husband. "Anakin!"

Padmé stumbled even more and held onto the icy walls. She knew Anakin was safe, so Darth Pesinoé, Ahsoka, hadn't killed him. But that didn't mean she hadn't hurt him.

"Anakin," she yelled again and fell when she carelessly put too much weight on her broken ankle. She groaned as she struggled to stand again. When she did, her gaze met the red blade of a light saber.

"So you came back," Mara said to her and Padmé glared at her. "Won't my master be pleased?"

"Where's my husband?" Padmé demanded feeling a sense of déjà-vu. That was the same thing she had demanded on Ahsoka twenty years ago, when the torgruta told her the jedi had betrayed the republic and were being murdered.

"Don't worry. You'll see him soon enough if Pesinoé had anything to do with it," Mara said grabbing her arm.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leia's grief over letting go of Pemé left her as she saw Han frantically flying his ship to try to get them out the blockade.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Two star destroyers are coming after us," Han replied.

"Sir," Threepio began, "Might I suggest-."

"Shut him up or shut him down," Han said to Leia. Leia looked at Threepio and the droid wisely said nothing else.

Leia braced herself as Han made a steep dive and fought the urge to hurt him.

"Hey, while we're running from Imperial star destroyers, would you mind telling me how you knew how to use that light saber?" Han asked. "Or how you knew Mara was behind you. I though you had no training."

"I don't," Leia pointed out wincing as she heard the lasers get louder outside the ship. "It was instinct I guess. And I had to learn something when I watched the few times Alex was showing Luke something about the force."

Han sighed. He would never understand the force no matter what way Leia and Luke tried to explain it to him. "Prepare to make the jump to light-speed," Han shouted.

The lasers got stronger just as Leia got the feeling that something was wrong with the ship.

"Han," she started carefully. "They're getting closer. Are you sure the hyperdrive is okay?"

"Yeah, Alex just fixed it. And me and Chewie made some adjustments to it for good measure."

"We're doomed," Leia declared. Whenever Han and Chewie messed with something the older and more experienced mechanic had fixed, it meant it was broken again.

"Oh yeah?" Han asked. "Watch this."

Leia waited expectantly for the familiar view of the stars blurring together as they went into hyperspace. When it didn't happen, Chewie and Han looked at each other.

"Well?" Leia asked.

Han tried again and still nothing happened.

"I think we're in trouble," he finally said. Leia hated that she had been right.

Threepio spoke up. "If I may say so, sir, I noticed earlier that the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged. It's impossible to go to light-speed."

Han muttered an obscenity under his breath. "We're in trouble."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé watched the unconscious jedi in the medical bay through the window, and it bothered her that she didn't know why. She had seen bits and pieces of the future and saw that she would hold the man prisoner and traveled to Myrkr to find ysalamiri just for that purpose. Sure, she knew she was a powerful sith lady, but Anakin Skywalker was legend. He wouldn't fight her, but he also wouldn't just sit around and be a prisoner if he had access to the force.

When the medical droid finished attending to them, she found the nerve to walk in the room and stand by his bed. It had been a long time since she had been this close to him. She reached her hand into his hair and ran her fingers through it. Then she brought her hand down the side of his face and over the scar that ran down his left side.

She saw him stir and pulled her hand back before he could see her. It was one thing for her to give in to a moment of weakness when no one was watching, but she couldn't let others see it.

He opened his eyes and she glared down at him. Anakin almost laughed at how similar it was to the look she used to give him when she was angry at him. He repressed the laugh when he realized that had been a long time ago.

"I didn't know you could still be so affectionate," he muttered.

Pesinoé looked away from him silently cursing the fact that she too was blocked from the force because of the ysalamiri. She would have felt Skywalker waking up a lot sooner. Instead of showing her shame for being caught though, she corrected his statement.

"You're sadly mistaken. The only reason you're alive right now is that I need you alive to see your daughter become my apprentice."

Anakin glared at her. "She won't turn. She hates you."

"You sure about that?" Pesinoé asked as she started to walk around the table. She slid her hands over Anakin's chest, where she had cut him with her light saber. "If you've had any influence on your daughter, I'm sure she holds on to some of you pointless faith in me."

"What faith?" Anakin asked trying to play dumb. Pesinoé knew it.

"Don't play with me Skywalker," she said resting her hand on his arm. "I know you still believe that somewhere, deep down inside of me is your former padawan, the weak little girl you trained and the jedi held back."

"You're wasting your time trying to turn Leia. It took a lot of convincing to make her keep your old light saber," he lied. "You'll have an easier time trying to move Tatooine from the outer rim to the core.

Pesinoé laughed. "I'm not saying it'll be easy. Leia's like you isn't she Anakin?" Pesinoé asked curling a finger in his hair. "All bravado and tough guy on the outside, but soft as cotton on the inside. All you have to do is find a weak spot to get inside," she finished crawling her fingertips back to his chest where his heart was.

Anakin didn't say anything, but Pesinoé was right. Leia was just like him. She used a tough act and a temper to hide her real sensitivity. He was the same way and only a few people had really seen the sensitive person he really was. Pesinoé had seen it before, especially towards the end of the republic. Things had been so confusing then. Things still were confusing.

"Careful," Anakin finally said. "It may back fire, and you'll find yourself unleashing the wrath of the force."

"That's the plan," Pesinoé said and laid her head on the man's chest. "However, I don't plan to be on the receiving end of the wrath. I'm going to turn this whole family inside-out."

Anakin finally rolled his eyes as Pesinoé's antics.

"Would you stop it?" he asked.

"Still attached to that woman," Pesinoé muttered not complying. "No matter. I'll turn all of you against each other by the time all of this is over."

"You sound so sure of yourself," Anakin shot.

Pesinoé finally lifted her head off his chest and laughed again. "You underestimate my power."

"I think you over estimate it."

Pesinoé ignored the comment. "In the last twenty years my powers have grown. I can make people do whatever I want. I can make people obsessed with me."

Anakin sat up despite the fact that his chest ached in protest. He had heard her powers had grown exceptionally over the years. Leia had told him some of the things she had heard about Pesinoé growing up in the palace. She was certainly the Sith Lady of Seduction. Still, there was only one thing she couldn't do.

"Yet you can't make me love you can you?" Anakin asked looking at her meaningfully.

Pesinoé almost faltered. She didn't show it, but Anakin could sense it even without the force.

"You forget. You're not the only one who knows the right buttons to press," he pointed out.

"You don't have the power of the force in this room. I'd watch what I say if I were you. I could change my mind and kill you."

Anakin crossed his arms. "You wouldn't kill me even if you didn't have a use for me."

Pesinoé lit her light saber. Force or no, it would still be easy to cut his head off.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because," Anakin said looking her in the eyes. "You love me."

Pesinoé was taken back to the days before the end of the clone wars when she would battle with her emotions and cry herself to sleep sometimes over the fact that her master would never love her the way she wanted. Pesinoé shook her head. No. Ahsoka had done that. She wasn't that person.

"You dare mock me," she spat.

"It was the reason you turned in the first place, wasn't it?" Anakin challenged.

"Shut up!"

"Admit it."

"Ahsoka Tano," Pesinoé finally bellowed causing Anakin to wince. The vibrations of her voice had hurt the scar across his chest.

"Ahsoka Tano," Pesinoé said again, "Was weak and couldn't get over her useless feelings for you. It was only when she realized that there was no such thing as love, that it was a useless weak emotion, that she became stronger and it was then when I was truly able to reach my potential."

"Then why are you so intent on getting revenge on me in that case," Anakin asked. He had Pesinoé right where he wanted her.

"You made a fool of me and you're going to learn that I will not tolerate such disrespect," Pesinoé said, but not as certain as she wanted.

Anakin heard the doubt and confusion in her tone and smiled. "You sure about that? Maybe that's the real reason you want Leia. She reminds you of me. You couldn't take me away from Padmé and so the next best thing is her daughter, who is her father's child, right?"

Pesinoé was saved from having to think about what he said when one of her ladies walked into the room. Both Anakin and Pesinoé turned to look at her.

"What?" Pesinoé snapped suddenly feeling very irritated. She had come here to taunt Anakin, but he had messed with her more.

"Mara Jade has a prisoner she thinks you may want to meet."

Pesinoé sighed. Whoever it was the spy wanted her to meet had better be worth her time. If not, the emperor may very well find himself short a hand. Before she left though, she stopped, grabbed a razor from the counter and tossed it to Anakin. Even without the force, Anakin was able to easily snatch it out the air.

"Do me a favor and shave. That beard makes you look like you're sixty."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What's going on Jade?" Pesinoé demanded when she got to the detention bay.

"I thought you might find this woman interesting," Mara replied. "I would have killed her, but I thought you and the emperor might want to know of her existence first."

Pesinoé rolled her eyes. "Open the cell Mara," she said in a warning tone and the red headed woman did so.

Pesinoé looked upon the woman. Upon first look, she didn't see why Mara thought the blonde haired female was so important. At least, that wasn't until the woman turned to look at her with a defiant glare.

Pesinoé backed away in shock. "Impossible. You're dead! There's no way you could have survived my attack and given birth too."

Padmé lifted her chin haughtily and looked at Pesinoé face to face for the first time in twenty-one years. She had changed a lot. Taller, older, and the light in her eyes, the innocent playfulness that had been there was gone, replaced by bitterness and anger. Then again, the bitterness and anger had been there before the end of the clone wars for weeks, it had just grown. Padmé felt a little sorry for her.

"What did you do with Anakin?" Padmé asked hoping that maybe the woman would tell her in her shocked. It backfired.

Pesinoé snarled. "You're in no position to be making demands," she bit out and for the first time in decades, she was truly at a loss. She thought this woman was dead. It had been one thing to face Anakin again. She had been prepared for the fact that she might momentarily cave to a moment of weakness, but to find his wife was still alive was too much. And as much as Pesinoé wanted to put a slow and painful end to the former Naboo senator's life, she knew she had to clear her mind first, or she may very well end up doing something that was a detriment to her plans.

Padmé watch startled as Pesinoé suddenly spun on her heel and briskly stormed down the hall, her lekku a mirage of colors.

Mara closed the door to the cell and watched the retreating sith lady warily. He master would definitely want to know about this development.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** You know, when I first went about writing this series, I was really concerned about making a distinction between Darth Vader and Darth Pesinoé because although the situations were the same, I wondered what Pesinoé would do differently. Since I figured the sith personality was built on the old personality I figured I'd change Ahsoka's kind of playful nature with her master to Pesinoé's casual flirting with her enemy. I think it worked out and showed that their relationship really hasn't changed that much because if a person was looking at it without the conversation, they seem like really comfortable friends. I loved that scene.

Anyway, this is also another chapter that wrote itself. See, I was planning for Padmé to get away, but she decided she wasn't leaving without Anakin and so to try to gain control of the situation I had Leia to grab her, but then Padmé convinced Leia to let her go and I'm like… I hate that my characters have a mind of their own. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please! They make me happy!


	6. Chapter 6

I'm at school right now and I have a long break between classes so I thought I'd update. At the end of this I'll elaborate on how often I'll update. I actually have to read for my classes this semester.

Anywho, I thought as I wrote this what would change with Luke's training knowing that he has a sister… Not really a big change, just added worry I thought. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Six

"Leia," Luke said when he heard his sister through the com in the ship.

"Luke," she said, relief obvious in her tone.

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Leia said. "I'm with Han on the Falcon. Where are you?"

"I'm headed somewhere for jedi training," he said.

"Where exactly?" Leia asked.

"Some place called Dagobah. Obi-Wan told me to go. I'll be here for a while if you don't hear anything else from me," Luke gave. There was a pause and he imagined Leia was nodding having forgotten that he couldn't see her. Her tone was tense though.

"What's wrong with you?" Luke asked.

"Nothing," Leia replied softly. "We're fine. We're headed to rendezvous with the alliance. I just wanted to make sure you got away safely."

"Leia," Luke said sighing. He hadn't heard her sound so shaky before. Something was bothering her and he wanted to know what. He had half the mind to turn around right then and find her, but he was so close to Dagobah.

"I'm fine Luke. Good luck with your training. See you soon," Leia said and the connection was broken.

Luke sighed. He was going to go to Dagobah and find this jedi master, but he wasn't going to stay. Perhaps he could convince the master to come off planet. He'd get in touch with the alliance and have them send a bigger ship when he landed if he could convince the jedi.

As he approached the planet, Artoo began to beep behind him.

"Yeap," Luke muttered. "That's Dagobah."

Artoo beeped again and Luke laughed.

"No. I don't plan to change my mind on this. But we won't be staying long anyway. Leia doesn't sound too good. We're going to find this master jedi and see if we can convince him to come off planet. If he says yes, I'll send the alliance to get him. You can stop complaining," Luke told the droid and then frowned. "I'm not picking up any cities or technology. Massive life-form readings though…"

Artoo beeped and Luke replied a little annoyed with Artoo, "Yes. I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids.

Luke began to start landing. He couldn't see a thing. He was seriously starting to wonder if Artoo was right about them not coming in the first place. He felt the plane land and hear cracking noises. Perfect, he thought to himself. He must have landed on trees. His craft stopped with and jolt. Luke opened the door and climbed out the ship. Realizing that Artoo was following him, Luke shook his head.

"You stay put Artoo. I'm just looking around. And even so, we won't be here very long," Luke reminded and then heard a splash.

He turned around to see that the droid had lost his balance and fallen into the swamp.

"Artoo!" Luke said jumping the rest of the way from the ship to look in the water when he could find no sign of the droid.

Artoo suddenly lifted out the water and Luke sighed in relieve. It wouldn't do for him to lose the droid that had been part of his family for decades.

Luke climbed up to the shore and watched as Artoo steadily made his way to the shore. Suddenly Artoo was pulled down and Luke lit his ligthsaber making his way back in the water. However, he didn't have to go far. Whatever it was decided Artoo didn't taste good and threw him out the water onto the shore.

Luke managed to hold back a laugh. "You okay Artoo?"

Artoo beeped in response.

"Lucky you don't taste very good," Luke replied letting out a laughed.

Artoo began to beep insulted, but Luke rolled his eyes and helped the droid up. Artoo continued to beep and whistle.

"If you're saying coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you. Of all places to send me to find some jedi master," Luke added. "They couldn't meet me somewhere on a more modern planet?"

Later, after he had cleaned up Artoo and brought some supplies to the small clearing he had made, he sat down. Cleaning Artoo had taken some time and he still hadn't found the jedi master. He guessed that meant he would be here a little longer than he had hoped.

"There's something familiar about this place," Luke began to say. "I feel like… I don't know…"

"Feel like what?"

Luke nearly jumped out of his skin and grabbed his light saber as he whirled around. He nearly put it back down when he saw a small green gremlin-like… person he guessed one could say, standing in front of him.

"Like I'm, being watched," Luke snapped accusingly raising his weapon again.

"Away with your weapon," the thing said. "I mean you no harm."

Luke put his weapon away and regarded the small creature. There was something about him…

"Teach you no one did, not polite to stare it is young Skywalker," he said using his cane to hit Luke in the leg.

"Ow!" Luke yelled and sat back down while glaring. "How do you know my name?"

"Why are you here?" it asked instead.

"I'm looking for someone," Luke said not seeing the harm in telling.

"Found someone you have, I would say. Hmm?" the creature laughed and Luke cracked a bare smile.

Luke then tilted his head. The little creature didn't look like much, but Luke could feel power coming off the thing. Perhaps… It was then he noticed Artoo beeping and whistling frantically.

"Stop complaining Artoo," Luke said dismissively, not really hearing what the little droid had said.

"Help you, I can."

Luke laughed. "I doubt it. I'm looking for a great warrior."

Yoda hit him with the stick again.

"Ow! Stop doing that you little-."

"Too much influence over you, your father has had. Wars not make one great."

"I know that," Luke said angrily. "Alex told me as much. He said Yoda used to tell him that all the time."

"Hmp! Your father, tell himself that more, he should have."

"Listen," Luke said sighing. "I don't have time for this. I have to find Yoda and get him to come off planet. I need to find my sister." Luke glanced at his ship that had sunk into the water. Well, he may have had a little more time than he thought. There was no way he was getting that out anytime soon.

"Jedi Master Yoda you seek. Hm?"

"You know him?" Luke asked skeptically.

Yoda began to walk away. "Take you to him, I will. But eat, we must. Come. Good food."

"Watch the camp Artoo," Luke said ignoring the insistent beep as he went away.

Artoo watched Luke follow the creature and let out a whistle that was the equivalent of a sigh. Really, Luke could have saved himself a whole bunch of trouble if he had just listened to what the droid had to say.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leia groaned as she tried to reengage the system she was working on. Really. Han had flown them into an asteroid field. Did he want them to die? Then again, it was better than being captured by Pesinoé. Leia sighed as she thought about the sith lady. She was the one putting them in danger. Pesinoé wanted her for some reason and maybe somewhere Leia had known the woman would one day chase her. She'd been having nightmares about Pesinoé since she was a child, and it was only that recently she realized the bad woman in her dreams was the sith lady the galaxy feared.

She continued to struggle with the valve. This was helping her. As long as there was something to do, she didn't have to rest and risk having more nightmares. She sensed Han coming in behind her. She didn't feel like arguing with the pirate, so when he reached to help her, she nudged him away.

"Hey your worship, I'm only trying to help," Han snapped.

Leia rolled her eyes. "Would you please stop calling me that?" she asked softly not in the mood to put on her tough act. She would admit to herself, she was a very sensitive person and that's why she hid behind a hot temper and haughtiness. But that tired her in times like these. It was times like these she didn't feel like putting up a fight.

Their comrades in the rebellion always thought of Leia as the tougher and stronger Skywalker twin. But in reality, that was Luke. His calm air and so-called reasonable personality could fool a person.

Han noticed her somewhat subdued attitude and watched her carefully. "Sure Leia."

Leia groaned. "You make it so difficult sometimes."

"Yeah," Han said shrugging. "You could be a little nicer though. Come on though. Admit it. Sometimes you thing I'm alright."

Leia smiled. Han was taking her away from her problems for a moment. She began to rub her hand. It was sore from working. "Occasionally… When you're not being a scoundrel."

"Scoundrel?" Han asked laughing. "I like the sound of that."

Leia felt her cheeks heat up and Han took her hand and began to massage it.

"Stop that," she muttered not really minding at all.

"Stop what?"

Leia started to pull her hand away. "My hands are dirty."

"Mine too," Han said and leaned closer. "What are you afraid of?"

Leia back up ito the wall and then said, "Afraid."

Leia wasn't quite sure what they said next because she was so focused on the position they were in. Here she was, back against a wall and completely vulnerable with Han. She could only imagine what Alex would say if he ever knew about this. He had already tried to choke Han with the force before. He would probably kill him now.

"I happen to like nice men," Leia said softly her words not coming out the way she wanted.

"I'm a nice man," Ham said.

"No, you're not. You're…" Leia trailed off, losing her thoughts as she kissed Han. For those few moments, Leia forgot that Pesinoé was after he, that Alex and Pemé were missing, and that Luke was somewhere on some planet she had never heard of getting jedi training. It was just her and Han.

When he pulled away, Leia tried to make herself angry by letting those thoughts return to her, but it wasn't working. Threepio suddenly appeared, and Leia found herself angry at the droid for interrupting, but grateful for breaking the awkward moment.

"Sir! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling."

Leia almost laughed at the way Han turned to face the droid. It helped her not lose control and quite possibly damaging the droid with her own power. Leia thought about it as Han left (the moment was ruined now). When she was younger, her force ability hadn't been more than an uncanny ability to read people and emotions, but in the last three years, it had evolved. She supposed it came from being around Alex and Luke who had force abilities that were way beyond her. Perhaps knowing she could do those same things made her dormant powers awaken.

Leia sighed. It was too much to think about. She'd better find something else to do. As much as she liked the kiss she had shared with Han, she began to wish it hadn't happened at the time it did. It just added to the list of things for her to think about.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"An asteroid field," Pesinoé muttered rubbing her head. She felt a headache coming on. What kind of fools flew into an asteroid field? Any sane person knew that was practically suicide… Then again, Skywalkers were definitely _not_ sane.

She had never indulged so much in her life. Her room had been transformed into her own medical spa. First she brings Skywalker on board and he rattles her, then Mara brought his wife, who Pesinoé thought was dead, on board, and now they were following the Millennium Falcon into an asteroid field meaning not only were they in danger, but so was her future apprentice.

As her ladies rubbed oil on her aching feet and gave her a massage, she sensed Mara walk into the room. Pesinoé almost laughed. She knew exactly why she was here. She sensed the woman's fury all the way on the other side of her ship.

"How dare you?" Mara fumed knocking over a bottle ointment. The lady massage Pesinoé's feet and ankles caught the ointment with one hand and continued her work.

"Do you have a problem Mara?" Pesinoé asked innocently.

Mara lost it. "You think!" she yelled. "How dare you cut off all transmissions to my master?"

"My master," Pesinoé corrected. She knew Mara had been trying to get rid of her for years now.

"Some servant you are to him," Mara snapped. "You purposely let Skywalker go. You're after that girl. Aren't you? You're going to betray him!"

Pesinoé smiled. "It's the will of the force dear. The apprentice always betrays the master."

"Not if I tell the emperor first!" Mara declared.

Pesinoé lifted her head up and took on an even sultrier tone. "And how are you going to do that? I run this ship dear and he sent you here to spy on me. So spy. But you won't be reporting to the emperor anytime soon. By the time you get the chance, I'll have arranged your accidental death."

"You wouldn't," Mara said narrowing her eyes.

"Try me," Pesinoé dared and Mara turned on her heels leaving the room in a huff.

Pesinoé stood up and slipped her feet back into her boots. She had had enough leisure. It was time she went and faced Padmé. Slowly, she made her way back to the detention bay and opened the cell door where Padmé was. She was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed until she saw Pesinoé open the door. Padmé just looked at her

"Did you recover from your nervous breakdown?" she asked dryly

Pesinoé scowled and ignored the comment. "Padmé… You're older than I remember."

"Dart Pesinoé…" Padmé began in the same tone. "You're much… curvier than I remember."

Pesinoé could hear the insult in the woman's tone, but disregarded it.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she decided. "It's been a while Padmé. Where have you been hiding all this time? I could have sworn you died after giving birth so soon after I attacked you."

"You did in a way," Padmé replied softly looking at her lap. "And Ani too. He still thinks there's good in you, you know?"

"He should get over it," Pesinoé decided. "But that will make it all the more easy to break him. It'll shatter his heart when Leia becomes my apprentice."

That phrase got a rise out of Padmé and finally she turned to face Pesinoé, worry in her tone. "You wouldn't."

"Don't put it past me. You know the emperor's really the one to blame. I wouldn't be thinking about taking Leia as an apprentice if he weren't trying to replace me with your son."

"Anakin will stop you," Padmé said firmly. "You'll never get to her."

"I always get what I want Padmé. No one has denied me anything I ever wanted in the last twenty something odd years," the sith Lady said leaning on the wall.

"Except Anakin," Padmé pointed out. "He rejected you and so will Leia. She's just like her father you know."

"I held her captive on the death star and tortured her. Believe me, I know that," Pesinoé said rolling her eyes remembering Leia's wit and hot temper.

"And is that why you want her to be your apprentice. You couldn't have Anakin, so why not take his daughter," Padmé shot.

The sith lady didn't want to admit to Padmé that she was right. Lately, the fact that she had been rejected by Anakin bothered her more and drove her to hurry up and get her revenge. That was why she had followed the Millennium Falcon into an asteroid field, but there was something else, something that would rattle Padmé more.

"Not that dear," she said. "The very force wills it. We were meant to be master and apprentice. It was written before she was born."

"You're lying," Padmé declared. "The force wouldn't want you to taint her with your twisted ways."

"How would you know? You're not force sensitive," Pesinoé pointed out and then crossed her arms.

"And if she doesn't agree?" Padmé asked.

"I'll kill her. I do hate her parents. It won't be that hard," Pesinoé said casually.

"You only hate us because you loved Anakin once," Padmé said lowering her voice. "You'll spare her for the same reason when she rejects you."

Pesinoé let her anger consume her enough that it kept her other unwanted emotions at bay and shrugged as she started to leave the room. "Don't be so sure about that dear. Besides, Leia will become my apprentice. She has to. I have you to literally hang over her head if she doesn't cooperate."

Pesinoé started out the cell.

"If it makes you feel better," Padmé said after a moment of thought. "Your attack didn't kill me, but it did have one devastating consequence."

"And what's that?" Pesinoé asked without looking back.

"It left me barren."

For the umpteenth time that day, Pesinoé faltered. Anakin and Padmé just knew which buttons to press. She suppressed the unwanted feelings and replied, "Good. The last thing the empire needs is another Skywalker on the loose, or the rest of the galaxy for that matter."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN: **So let's see… This chapter was more of a filler to me but still necessary I'd say. Anyway the next chapter was interesting to me. We find out exactly who the Ladies in waiting are along with some other juicy stuff. Not much commentary on the chapter.

Anywho, I'm going back to updating every other day, every two days when I have projects and stuff. I had fifteen hours, but I dropped a class before I could even start because I thought it may be too much for my first year, and it also means more cash for me when they send it back. Hehehe. Well, that's all. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	7. Chapter 7

I had no idea if I was ever going to get this up today because I have to finish a writing for class tomorrow and didn't think I'd have time to check over it. But I got to it. I rather update in the morning, but oh well. However, I'm more inclined to forget about school if I see I've got a lot of reviews…

This is a pretty long chapter. It was originally about five thousand words but I broke it up. Everyone wanted to know who the ladies in waiting are, well here it is. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Seven

"Milady told me to come and see to you."

Anakin looked from where he was propped on his bed still in the medical bay. This was worse than being in a cell. He hated medical bays. He had spent way too much time in them when he had been younger.

"I don't need anything," Anakin replied.

The lady in waiting stepped aside to allow a droid carrying a plate of food through. "Milady would like you to eat something."

"I could only imagine why," Anakin said rolling his eyes as the droid put the tray on his bet. "I bet she said it was because she wants me to live to see her turn my daughter into her apprentice."

The Lady in Waiting, a human, didn't reply, but the small smile that crept onto her face told Anakin that he was right.

"I thought so," Anakin replied. "I have to find a way to get out of here," he added not caring that the woman was in the room. He hadn't come up with a plan to get out yet, so he had no fear of her telling on him. Pesinoé already knew he was looking for a way to get out of here. Not being able to connect to the force almost made him feel dead.

"She's not as bad as you think jedi," the woman said, the smile was gone from her face now. She seemed insulted that Anakin thought so lowly of her mistress.

"Well of course you'd say that. You work for her," Anakin said, but something told him there was more to the story.

"We do not work for milady," she said firmly. "We serve her out of loyalty."

"Excuse me if I find that hard to believe," Anakin replied. "She tore my family apart. We had to separate just so she wouldn't find us."

"Well, she hasn't ruined my family. In fact, I have no idea if my family is even alive," the woman replied.

"Oh?" Anakin asked.

"I was kidnapped by pirates and sold into the sex trafficking trade. All of the ladies were there. We were only nine or ten at the time. Three years after the empire began," the woman said.

"You were all in the sex trade?" Anakin asked feeling a rage inside him. Even after all these years, slavery and such cruelty existed in the galaxy. Not even the republic had done anything about it and now, neither did the empire. But he expected as much.

"So how did Pesinoé get to you?"

"We had been in a house for weeks, waiting to be sold. As sick as it is, I'm relieved that they wanted to keep us virgins. It made us more valuable. Milady was working undercover as a maid and a dancer. Something about finding a high ranking officer and catching him in the act," the woman said shrugging. "We didn't know. No one did. She dressed like a common pleasure slave."

Anakin found himself remembering back when they were on the death star and Han pulled out a piece of skimpy lingerie from Pesinoé's drawer. Could this be the mission Leia had mentioned?

"Anyway, she was the only kindness we knew there. She had her… firmness and she was so blunt about what was going on it was harsh, but she was the one who made sure we were fed and kept up our spirits."

Anakin raised his eyebrows. If Pesinoé was kind to them, she had to wonder what cruelties the ladies had seen.

"One day, our last day there, some man came to check the 'goods'. Turned out it was the officer, a governor mind you, that Pesinoé was looking for. I'm not clear what happened. But one of us, it was either Iana or Mi'amah. I'm not sure, but I just knew it was a torgruta at the time. She disobeyed one of the traders and I don't know whether it was instinctual or if milady had instilled some rebellion in all of us." The woman laughed. "I find it funny now. She bit the man and decked him in the eye. But back then, it was horrifying. We all knew the punishment for rising against someone."

"Milady was already mad, but I think she practically lost it when she found out the governor was going to do the deed. They told her to go in the room with the girl and make her more submissive before her punishment. I have no idea what happened in that room, but I heard screaming from my young friend, silence and then a hissing sound and a hum. The next thing I knew, milady had kicked down the door and killed every piece of scum in the house. She even killed some of the other pleasure slaves that were in the house, but what she did to the governor, I will not say. But it was one of the most violent acts of justice I had seen in my life."

"So she ended up taking you with her I assume," Anakin replied.

"She said as witnesses at first."

"At first?"

"For the first few days we were kept in the detention bay. Then she let us out and gave us rooms. A few weeks later, we were training to be her guards and assassins. We came to learn later, that she wanted to open a refuge house for us to grow up in and train us to free other slaves, men and women, and liberate them," the woman said.

"What happened to that plan?" Anakin asked when she stopped.

"The emperor. Milady knew he wouldn't allow it, and she also knew if he found out she was taking care of us, we would be killed and she punished for slacking on her duty. So she convinced the emperor to let her find nine non force sensitive girls because the lack of competency in storm troopers was a danger to her missions. That was a lie. Her army of troopers is perfectly trained and competent. I've seen them in battle. Unlike most troopers, they don't blindly follow commands. Anyway, she never told him she already had the people she had in mind," the woman said smiling. "We've been with her ever since."

Anakin was a little shocked to say the least. No one knew the story behind the Ladies in Waiting, not even the alliance had gotten that one. They were just at Pesinoé's side one day. He would have never guessed they were with her because they owed a debt to her for taking care of them.

He let out a bitter laugh. "So there is a heart buried deep down in there somewhere," he muttered.

"For you jedi," the woman corrected.

"What?" Anakin said.

"You were a slave once, weren't you?" she didn't wait for him to answer. "Milady only told us that she sheltered us for a friend that was once a slave."

Anakin vaguely remembered telling that to Pesinoé when he had been dueling her and had been trying to snap her out of her rage. He didn't think she would have remembered it. He picked up the tray seeing that the woman was only going to stand there until he ate. However, he was glad she had come. Her story only proved that he had been right all along. There was good in Pesinoé. Now all he had to do was convince everyone else that.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé crosses her arms in impatience as she waited for word on the ship that had evaded her.

"…Considering the amount of damage we've sustained Lady Pesinoé, they must have been destroyed."

Pesinoé shook her head. "They are alive. I want every available ship to sweep that asteroid field until they are found."

Next to her Mara scowled. "You're wasting valuable resources and time trying to find a ship and get one person. You have Skywalker and his wife already. We should have been on our way to deliver them to him. Besides, that ship is probably destroyed. The Emperor will not be pleased with this."

Pesinoé smirked. "Too bad you can't get in contact with him."

Mara growled. She had always hated that about Pesinoé. She never took people trying to tell her what to do well, even the Emperor to some degree. She always had her own agenda and it was just by luck that Mara had figured it out this time. Normally, she'd be stuck blindly following the woman. It was always like that when they went on a mission together.

"You do know you're wasting your time doing this," Mara said deciding to be helpful to get things rolling. The sooner Pesinoé was done with this, the sooner she could get into contact with the Emperor. "They have a busted hyper-drive apparently and until they can fix it, they're going to have to find some place other than an asteroid field to hide. Somewhere safer."

Pesinoé smiled. "You were always good for something Mara," she said and headed to the controls. "Admiral."

"Yes Lady Pesinoé," Piett answered immediately.

"Find the nearest planet that the Falcon can safely and quickly get to without making the jump to light speed. Mara, you go talk to the bounty hunters. Make them an offer they can't refuse," Pesinoé demanded.

"Yes milady," Mara mocked as she went to see to the bounty hunters.

"The nearest place is Bespin milady," Piett replied.

Pesinoé nodded. The force was telling her that this was definitely the place to go if she wanted to capture the princess.

"Commander Rex," Pesinoé said into her com. "Prepare a squadron of troopers. Go to one of my personal ships and get it ready. Oh, and put my two prisoners on board as well, in two separate cells. One at a time. Take the ysalamiri with you for the jedi. We're going to Bespin."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Run!" Yoda said and Luke continued to run with the little gremlin on his back.

He couldn't believe this was Yoda. Alex could have told him that Yoda was a little green guy around two feet tall. That would have helped dramatically. Apparently, Artoo knew Yoda. In fact, he had been trying to tell Luke who he was from the beginning.

"Flows from the Force, a jedi's strength does. But beware of the dark side. Anger… Fear… aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Start down the dark path, forever consume you it will, as it did your father's apprentice."

"Pesinoé," Luke muttered trying to keep back the feelings of anger he had towards the woman. He knew his father was never able to let go of his attachment to Pesinoé and that's why he couldn't kill her. That's why he died. Alex had told him that much. But he wouldn't let his father's feelings for the woman, whatever they had been, cloud his perception. She had to be stopped.

"Is the dark side stronger?" Luke asked.

"No. Quicker, easier, more seductive," Yoda said.

"Seductive. That's Pesinoé's specialty right? Seduction?"

Yoda didn't reply and so Luke continued. "But how am I to know the good side from the bad?"

"Know you will, when at peace you are. Passive, you must be. Use the force for knowledge and defense a jedi does. Never for attack," Yoda added.

Luke frowned. "So does that mean I can't have emotions? I just have to do what must be done?"

Yoda sighed. "Your father's influence I sense in you. An idealistic jedi, he became."

"But did that mean he was wrong in his opinion? The council wouldn't talk about it if it were," Luke said. "Why-?"

"No, no, no. There is no why. Nothing more I will teach you today. Clear your mind of questions Mmm."

Luke put Yoda down and put back on his shirt. They would definitely be getting back to this conversation later. He turned to see a black tree with a cave on one side. Luke stumbled back. He felt cold.

"There's something not right there," he said to Yoda.

"Strong with the dark side of the Force, that place is. A domain of evil it is. In you must go."

Luke turned to Yoda warily, but without taking his eyes off the cave. "What's in there?"

"Only what you take with you," Yoda said. "You weapons, you will not need them."

Luke decided not to take off his lightsaber and went inside. Luke knew he should be over fearing the dark and normally he didn't. But in caves, darkness sheltered the unknown and danger. There was no telling what was in here. He pushed deeper into the cave while lighting his saber for light.

It seemed to get darker and Luke turned around, he could no longer see the entrance to the cave. He hadn't gone that deep. The snap hiss of a light saber caught his attention. He whirled around to face Darth Pesinoé… or at least, that's who he thought it was. She looked different. Younger, but he could still feel the rage and hate radiating off of her. She came forward with her light saber and struck at him. Luke stepped to the side and slashes at her, across the chest. When she fell in death, Luke looked down at her in satisfaction thinking he had passed whatever kind of test this was. When the time came, he would kill Darth Pesinoé.

He started to try and find a way out when the sound of loud mechanical breathing froze him in his spot. Luke slowly turned back around in time to see a man in a suit. As he came closer, Luke realized it was more of a cyborg or a man who had been gravely injured and forced to wear it. He was holding a red light saber in his hands.

Luke stepped back in terror.

"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father did he?" the man asked in a deep voice.

Luke couldn't reply. There was something about this man.

"Luke," he said. "I am your father!"

"No!" Luke yelled and cut the cyborg's head off. It fell to the floor and the mask on his face began to crack.

In curiosity Luke stepped forward and looked at the face inside and gasped in horror. The man's face, looked just like his, except his hair was longer and a little darker. In fact, he looked like Alex…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé's ship landed in cloud city. She impatiently waited for the ramp to come down. When it did, she was immediately greeted by a tall black man with wavy brown hair. She walked up to him. He was nervous. Good. That would make this go all the more smoother.

"Lando Calrissian," she said.

"Lady Pesinoé," Lando said nervously. "A pleasure. What brings you here?"

"Let's cut the casualties and get to business," Pesinoé replied. "You know as well as I do that this is an illegal operation. Normally I would have turned a blind eye to it, but you'll soon be harboring fugitives."

"There are no fugitives here," Lando protested.

"I said soon. They're on their way here. They have a bad hyperdrive, and they're going to want to land to fix it. Let's say we strike a deal. Hm? I might be persuaded to ignore your little operation again," Pesinoé replied.

Lando mentally cursed. He hated the empire, but he had no choice. Either help them or get in trouble with them. He almost laughed. Helping them now, meant trouble with them later either way it went. But maybe Pesinoé would be reasonable…

"Alright," he said.

"Wise decision. I'll have to be here for at least a week. Maybe two," Pesinoé said with a smile. "I'll need accommodations for two prisoners I have on board, separate please. Now Calrissian, lead the way so we can go over the fine details of this deal."

Pesinoé made her way into the building flanked by her ladies. Lando could have broken down crying. Two weeks with the right hand woman of the emperor! He rubbed his head.

"This is going to be hell," he muttered. Sure she was saying they would make a deal now, but if the rumors were right, he'd be coming out of this with nothing but his life… even that was a long shot. But he really didn't have much of a choice. If he said no, he was dead anyway.

Back on the ship, Padmé pulled her arm out of the grip of the storm trooper.

"I'm already in cuffs," she snapped. "What can I do?"

The trooper let her go and Padmé started down the ramp. She stopped and then ran down to the bottom forgetting about her throbbing ankle.

"Ani!" she yelled running to where Anakin was flanked with an entire squadron of storm troopers. Apparently, Pesinoé didn't trust him not to try anything.

"Padmé," he said and leaned down to kiss her since he couldn't wrap his arms around her like he wanted. "What are you doing here?"

"I never left with the falcon," she said softly. "I came to try and find you. That woman that was with Pesinoé, Mara, she took me. I was so worried."

"Everything's fine now angel. We'll get out of this," Anakin said and winced when the injury on his chest throbbed.

"What's wrong?"

"An injury curtesy of Darth Pesinoé," Anakin said dryly as the storm troopers began to push them along.

"Oh God Ani. She was so angry when she saw me. She thought I was dead," Padmé whispered. "You should have seen her. I'm worried what she'll do to Leia if she gets her hands on her."

"Leia will be fine for now. Pesinoé wants to train her. Odd, I always saw Ahsoka training our daughter one day, before she turned. It's Luke I'm worried about."

"But we don't even know where he is."

Anakin shook his head. "I think he went to find Yoda. But Pesinoé will probably use Leia to lure him here."

"Wait a minute," Padmé said and turned to look at him. "The force. Why aren't you-?"

"Ysalamiri," Anakin replied dryly. "But now I'm kind of glad Pesinoé had it there. If it weren't for not having my force powers, I would have escaped without knowing she had you. She would have taken her anger out on you. I'm sure."

Padmé looked at him again and then blinked touching his now smooth face. "You shaved?" she asked with a smile.

Anakin laughed. "Blame that on Pesinoé."

"Break up the conversation," a trooper said when they got to their destination. Two cell rooms.

Padmé scowled as they took off her cuffs. "I love you Ani," she said quickly before they shoved her in her cell.

"I love you too angel," Anakin said before they put him in his.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN: **Alright! Now the next chapter is where things get interesting. Pesinoé sure knows how to get what she wants. I think the times frames may be a little off. I'm not sure how long Luke was training in the movie or how long it took for Han and Leia to get to Bespin but make up what you will on the time issue (reasonably). It's why I never really give a time frame. I'm assuming a day or two. Maybe a little shorter.

Well I've got to get back to homework. I hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	8. Chapter 8

Okay. This is absolutely one of my favorite chapters because… well, I'll tell you at the end so I won't spoil it. Like I said, in the movie where Han and Leia weren't on Bespin all of a day, they're here a little longer here for the purposes of the story. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Eight

"Are you positive this Lando person will welcome us," Leia asked as they approached the gas giant after they had gotten permission to land on cloud city.

"Yeah," Han said."Me and Lando go way back. Don't worry your pretty little head sweatheart."

"I'm not," Leia replied. "I just can't shake the feeling that something isn't right about all this."

They landed their ship, which had been escorted down since they didn't have a permit. She patted her hip to make sure her blaster was still there, along with her light saber. There wasn't much she could do with the sword but she felt safer having it with her.

She looked around cautiously from the ramp of the falcon. Something still just didn't feel right…

"I don't like this," she told Han.

"Well, what would you like?" Han asked her dryly. Leia glared.

"Well, they did let us land," Threepio pointed out.

Out of the building came a black man with wavy brown hair leading some guards. He started towards the ship and Han started down the ramp to meet him. Leia looked at his face and started to back up onto the ship. Something was wrong with his expression. He looked like he was doing something he really didn't want to do.

She backed into Chewie and he growled something at her while pushing her along. Leia had the same feeling she had back on Hoth.

The man Leia assumed to be Lando shook his head and said, "Why you slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler! You've got a lot of guts coming here. After what you pulled.

"Me?" Han mouthed innocently.

Lando started to move towards Han, but Leia could somehow tell he was only playing. It was confirmed when he opened his arms and embraced the man.

"How you doing, you old pirate? So good to see you. Never thought I'd catch up with you again."

"He seems very friendly," Threepio said.

Leia raised her eyebrow and huffed. "A little too friendly if you ask me. Something's up."

Leia sighed. It was as good a time as any to try tapping into her powers to see if she could get a feel of what was going on. She stretched out with her senses. It was harder than Luke made it seem, but after a minute or so, she felt something. She tried to reach out more to touch it, to grasp her mind around it when Lando broke her concentration.

"…I'm the administrator of this facility. And who might you be?"

Leia paused to regard him for a moment, frustrated that he messed her up, before saying, "Leia."

"Welcome Leia," Lando said bowing and kissing her hand.

"All right, all right, you old smoothie," Han said steering Leia away.

Leia wasn't really paying attention to the conversation. She couldn't shake that feeling.

"_Always trust your instincts," Alex instructed Luke and Leia one day while he was showing Luke some basic things._

"You know," Lando said turning to Leia snapping her out her thoughts again. "That ship saved my life quite a few times. She's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy."

"Really," Leia replied in a bit of a daze.

Later on in the living quarters Lando had given them, Leia stood in a dress that had been provided and stared out the window. She sensed Han come into the room behind her and so wasn't the least bit startled when he spoke.

"The ship is almost finished. Two or three more things and we're in great shape," he said.

"That's nice," Leia replied.

Han grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to him. She looked down. She didn't want him to see how worried she was. He lifted her chin.

"What's wrong?"

Leia shrugged. "I don't know. I just can't shake the feeling something isn't right."

Han rolled his eyes. "Does this have anything to do with that hokey religion stuff you and your brother got going on?"

Leia met his eyes and nodded, although she was resisting the urge to laugh at Han's nickname for the force. He was more convinced now that it existed that when they had first met, but his misunderstanding of it still made him call it a hokey religion.

"Leia," he said and gave her a peck. "Everything's going to be fine. I promise."

"Don't make promises you don't know if you can keep Han," Leia said softly and turned back to the window. "I wouldn't be worried if I wasn't sure something wasn't right. No one has seen Threepio either. He's been gone too long to have gotten lost. This is the same feeling I had on Hoth."

"Relax. I'll talk to Lando and see what I can find out," Han said trying to reassure her. "And if you're so worried you can come with me and talk to him yourself."

"I don't need to," Leia replied. "I don't trust him."

"Well, I don't trust him either," Han said trying to lighten Leia's mood. "But he's my friend. Besides, we'll be gone soon."

Leia looked at him and then looked back out the window. "And then you're as good as gone too aren't you?"

Han didn't reply as he considered her words. Leia knew he had no ties to the rebellion. and was surprised he stayed as long as he had. Before she could tell him though, Chewie walked in with a case that had all Threepio's parts in it.

"What happened?" Leia asked going over to the box. She looked up at Chewie. "You can fix him, can't you?"

"Lando's got people who can fix him," Han suggested.

Leia shot him a look and then looked back in the box. "No thanks."

Lando came in at that moment. Leia scowled. He couldn't have come in during a more perfect time.

"You look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us among the clouds," he said.

Leia glared at him and muttered a thanks. He immediately offered her refreshments. Leia frowned and she was happy to see that Han looked a little suspicious himself.

"Everyone's invited of course," Lando added.

Lando offered his arm, but Leia stepped back and hooked arms with Han as she led him out the door. She wasn't happy about being here, and she wasn't about to act like she was to save face. She had to do that enough in the senate as a diplomat.

"So you see," Lando was saying when he caught up to them. "Since we're a small operation, we don't fall into the jurisdiction of the Empire."

"So you're part of the mining guild then?" Leia asked wanting to know as much as possible about this situation.

"No. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed," Lando replied.

Leia looked at the huge doorway at the end of the hall and froze. Now she knew what it was…

"Aren't you afraid the Empire's going to find out about this little operation and shut you down?" Han asked.

"That's always been a danger looming like a shadow over everything built her. But things have developed that will insure security. I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever," Lando said stopping at the doors and it was then Han notice Leia wasn't walking with them anymore.

"Leia," Han said. "What's wrong?"

"She's here," Leia muttered glaring at Lando just as he opened the doors.

At the head of the banquet table, at the far end was Darth Pesinoé along with a bounty hunter and Mara Jade standing behind her. Han drew his blaster and fired at Darth Pesinoé.

"You people never learn," she said raising her hand and deflecting the bolts. Then Han's blaster flew to her hand.

"Sith," Han muttered.

Leia felt the ladies approach her from behind before they gripped her by either arm and took her the rest of the way to the room. They pushed her in and Leia faced Pesinoé for the first time in years.

"I'd be honored if you'd join me Leia," Pesinoé said.

Han turned to glare at Lando. Leia had been right all along.

"I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry," the man said.

"We're sorry too," Han replied.

Pesinoé looked at everyone in the room and then looked at her ladies.

"Secure Captain Solo. No one leaves this facility and no one gets in. Princess, you'll join me here. Everyone else, leave us," Pesinoé commanded.

"Hey," Han began to protest trying to get to Leia who was glaring at Pesinoé.

"It's okay Han," Leia said and kissed him. "I'll be fine."

When everyone cleared the room, Leia started to sit down in the chair farthest from Pesinoé. Pesinoé put her hand out and held the chair that Leia had grabbed in place.

"Right here dear," she said gesturing to the seat next to her.

Leia reluctantly went to the seat and sat down all the while glaring at Pesinoé. She greeted her the same way she always greeted her.

"Darth Pesinoé."

"Princess Leia," Pesinoé began. "Finally. I've been trying to get your attention for three years now and it's all fallen into place."

"What are you going to do? Lure me into a false sense of security before you kill me?" Leia snapped.

"Far from little girl," Pesinoé said grabbing the bottle of wine and pouring some in her glass. She put the opening over Leia's glass.

"No thanks," Leia said stiffly.

Pesinoé poured some anyway and put it down. "If I had wanted to kill you princess, I would have done so a long time ago."

"Stop calling me that," Leia snapped.

"What? Princess?"

"I'm not much of a princess of anything since you destroyed my planet, killing most of my people," Leia snapped. "You're mocking me."

"Au contrair, Leia. You'll be the princess of the entire galaxy soon enough, when you're my apprentice and heir to the empire," Pesinoé replied.

Leia looked up in shock. Pesinoé had never been one to waste words. She should have known she wouldn't beat around the bush. But this was far from what she had been expecting.

"What?" Leia asked.

"You heard me," the sith lady said playing with a piece of fruit. "I have a proposition for you. Become my apprentice. Let me train you in the ways of the force, and we'll take out the emperor together."

"No deal," Leia snapped immediately. Why was Pesinoé trying this again? She had tried the same thing on the death star. It hadn't worked then and it wouldn't work now.

"Be reasonable princess," Pesinoé said leaning her chin on her hand. "Do you really think your little rag tag team of rebels is going to be able to get rid of the empire on their own? You kill the emperor and then what? There will still be the empire. Your little rebellion won't be able to snatch thousands of star systems from under that kind of control, at least, not without a strong foothold in the politics of the reigning government."

Leia leaned back in her chair carefully weighing Pesinoé's words. "I'm listening."

"We both want the same things. We want a better galaxy with no war and no Palpatine. I'll help you and you'll help me. Become my apprentice and we'll destroy the emperor together and you and I will take over the galaxy. Think of how much easier it'll be for the rebellion. I'm second in command, the emperor dies and I take over. I'll introduce you as my new second and mission accomplished. With the military under my control, no one will dare oppose us," Pesinoé explained.

"Why would you want to destroy the emperor all of a sudden?" Leia asked cautiously.

"That's none of your concern little girl," Pesinoé replied. "So what do you think?"

Leia sat back. She had to say, Pesinoé knew how to put together a good deal. She was right. The rebellion could kill the emperor and then how were they going to get the rest of the galaxy under some semblance of order and control. They would be struggling for years. But if she allied herself with Pesinoé, there would be a smooth transition… Wait a minute.

"So you're suggesting we leave the empire in tact?" Leia asked hotly.

Pesinoé laughed. "Surely you didn't think I would restore democracy did you? Bail Organa was an idealist and he filled your pretty little head with those ideals. The sad thing is we don't live in an ideal world. People don't know what they want. We have to tell them what they want. You didn't live in the days of the republic. I was there and it was a sham!"

"People were free and no one person was forcing their way on people," Leia snapped.

"Free to do what? Free to parade people around as slaves in the outer rim? Involve themselves in illegal activity because the senate sat around and argued like little children while nothing ever got done? Face it princess. The republic was no better than the Empire, but because it gave the false pretence that people ultimately made the choice it was better. When you have this many people in a galaxy, a large body of people can't be trusted to come to the right conclusion because they never will, especially when the masses are ignorant. That's when someone has to decide to take matters into their own hands. People have to be told what to do," Pesinoé explained.

"Don't justify your war crimes with that," Leia snapped.

"Hm. No lecture for me. To tell me how wrong I am. Have I shaken your belief system dear?" Pesinoé taunted.

Leia glared at her, Pesinoé had indeed given her something to think about, but it hadn't made her doubt what she believed in at all. In fact, it strengthened her faith.

"Got to hell!" Leia snapped.

_Meet you there, princess._

Leia jumped. "What did you do?"

"Nothing at all," Pesinoé replied with a smile.

"Don't lie. You forced your way in my head," Leia shot and then it suddenly dawned on her. "It was you all this time. You've been the cause of my nightmares."

The thought scared Leia. Had Pesinoé really been after her since she was a seven year old girl?

"No I wasn't," Pesinoé said. "The force was acting through our bond."

"Our bond," Leia said and then glared. "I don't have a bond with you."

"Oh but we do have a bond Leia. We've had a bond since we met on the Death Star. I wasn't aware of it until after you destroyed it and I was meditating to figure out my master's plan of betrayal and then I felt it. It was fragile and over the years I strengthened it. But I wasn't the only one. You subconsciously did the same."

Leia's temper flared. "I would never-."

"But you did! Every time you had a nightmare and let me capture you, you were strengthening our tie as Master and apprentice. Sure I tried to find you over the years, but I knew it was only a matter of time before you led me right to you," Pesinoé said knowing that would break the princess.

"What are you saying? That I led you right to the rebellion?" Leia snapped.

"Not knowingly of course. I know you would never willingly betray the rebellion, but yes. In a way."

Leia couldn't believe it. She had betrayed the rebellion. But could it really be called betrayal when she had no idea in the first place…? For the first time in her life, Leia found herself hating the name Skywalker and the fact that she had inherited her father's powers. If it weren't for that, she probably wouldn't be sitting here right now. In fact, she might still be on Hoth, safe from the Empire. The entire alliance would be safe in fact. This was all her fault.

Pesinoé smiled. She had the princess right where she wanted now. Sure, it wasn't enough to spark a turn to the dark side, but all Pesinoé needed was to let it brood.

"Don't you see? No one had to assign you to me. The force put us together. We were meant to be master and apprentice. For all intents and purposes the deal is already sealed. We just have to make it official. Let me train you and show you the ways of the dark side."

Leia shook herself out of her guilt and shame. She could make up for this.

"No. You said it yourself. I won't betray the alliance or my brother," Leia added thinking of Luke. Maybe he could help get her out of this.

_I wouldn't be so quick to call on him Leia._

"Stop that!" Leia snapped trying to keep Pesinoé out her head. It would have helped if she could feel the bond.

"Always playing it the hard way. Fine," Pesinoé growled. "Listen to me and listen good, because I don't like to repeat myself. I've got a bounty hunter out there just waiting to get his hands on Captain Solo and hand him over to Jabba. I also have two very important people with me and I doubt you would want them hurt," Pesinoé said sending an image to Leia of Skywalker and his wife.

"Alex, Pemé…" Leia muttered and this intrigued Pesinoé. So the girl had no idea who they were. She smiled. This plan just kept getting better. Leia was practically being pushed her way.

"Where are they? What had you done to them?" Leia demanded standing up.

"Oh they're here, safe and sound for now," Pesinoé replied casually not at all intimidated. "Of course, that all depends on you. You see, the emperor would take a lot of pleasure in killing them, and we both know you could call your brother to come and rescue you but that won't end well for him. A half trained jedi is no match for the power of a sith lady and the dark side."

Leia balled her fist tight. She was trapped. Cornered. If she said no, Pesinoé would undoubtedly kill Alex and Pemé, give Han to the bounty hunters and practically drive her to the dark side from what little Alex had explained to her about it. But if she gave in, she would be betraying everything she stood for. It was a win-win situation for Pesinoé.

"_Leia, it's alright. She's not going to hurt you. I promise."_

Leia wondered if that had some meaning to it. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she could turn the tables on Pesinoé. She could let the woman train her, but that didn't mean she had to give in to the dark side. She could learn everything she could about the force and then when Pesinoé least expected it, she'd turn against her.

"Alright. Fine. I'll let you train me," Leia muttered sitting down.

Pesinoé looked at her with a passive expression. "I'm not dumb. I know your plan. You don't have any intention to turn at all."

Leia didn't look up. She just stared down at the table frowning.

"Tsh… It won't work. You will turn. One way or another, you will be my true apprentice."

Pesinoé stood over her. "Look at me," she demanded and Leia stubbornly stared down at her plate.

Pesinoé's eyes became sith yellow and she snatched Leia to her by her chin forced the girl to stand up. Pesinoé was so close to Leia, she could feel the girl's quicken breath on her face.

"You can't resist the call of the dark side dear," she muttered. "Your father was a fool to do so and it haunts him. But what he didn't do his daughter will. It is your destiny to become my apprentice."

"No," Leia choked stubbornly trying to pull her face away.

"Yes," Pesinoé replied. "The force is with you, child. By now I would have lost patience and killed you."

The sith lady let Leia go and she fell back into the chair.

"We start bright and early tomorrow. My ladies will help you to your quarters and see to your needs," Pesinoé told and left the hall.

Leia sat at the chair and waited while she cursed the blood running through her veins. And then, suddenly, the glasses and the pretty dishes on the table all shattered.

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**AN**: I just noticed I didn't have any kind of breaks in this chapter. There was no need. Anyway, things got interesting there didn't they? So what do you think? Will Leia be able to resist the call to the dark side? I had to ask myself that when I wrote it. Anyway, I'll be working on the last story this weekend since I have no homework. I have reading, but I don't see that as homework. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	9. Chapter 9

Alright. A little interaction between Leia and Pesinoé. I loved it because I had to make it appear that Pesinoé had some kind of split personality in Leia's eyes as she tried to figure Pesinoé out. Read, Enjoy, and Review.

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Chapter Nine

Leia awoke the next morning to a gentle hand shaking her awake. It reminded her of the way Pemé used to wake her up when she was younger. As much as she avoided it now, Leia used to love to sleep wrapped up in the warm fluffy sheets that the palace provided.

"Princess Leia."

That shook her out of her fantasy. Pemé used to say the same thing, but in a soft sweet and loving tone. The voice was still soft, but devoid of the love she had come to cherish. It reminded Leia what a horrible nightmare she was in.

"It's time to get up milady," one of Pesinoé's ladies in waiting said.

As immature and childish as it was, Leia had no intention of making this easy on Pesinoé. She turned over in her bed and pulled the cover over her head.

"Come back in thirty minutes," Leia replied.

"You have a long day ahead of you, and Lady Pesinoé is expecting you. It is not wise to keep her waiting."

Leia almost laughed. As if Pesinoé knew how to wait in the first place.

"Tell her that if she wants me to get up, she'll have to do it herself," Leia snapped.

_For a former senator and princess, you're being incredibly immature about this. Get up or I'll let Captain Solo's screams of pain while I torture him do it._

Leia jolted out of bed at that point. Every time Pesinoé did that she felt like she was being violated, especially since she couldn't really do anything to stop it until she touched the bond herself.

"Fine," Leia snapped. "I'm up."

She stood out of bed and was met with three ladies in waiting, all there to help her get ready.

"I'm not a child. I can get ready myself," Leia snapped as she headed to the fresher.

She half hoped that throwing cold water on her face would get her out of this living nightmare, and she'd be back on the falcon with Han trying to outrun the empire with a broken hyper-drive. Leia figured it was no use trying to prolong the inevitable and got ready without protest or argument. She could save that for when she was with Pesinoé. The ladies provided her with breakfast and then escorted her to where Pesinoé was waiting for her.

Leia looked around the room surprised to see a training room, a rather large one at that.

"When did a place like this get a training room?" she asked more to herself than Pesinoé.

"It wasn't here," the sith lady replied and for the first time, Leia saw the woman without her cloak on. "I had it hastily built."

"You weren't here that much longer before us," Leia replied.

"You'd be surprised how motivating I can be."

"Did you try a seduction like you did on me back on the death star or did you flat out threaten them?" Leia asked dryly.

Pesinoé turned her dark gaze onto Leia, and although she was terrified, Leia stood her ground. Pesinoé approached her and looked her in the eyes.

"First lesson my apprentice," Pesinoé said. "Always be submissive to your master."

"There was nothing in our deal about being submissive," Leia said stubbornly.

Pesinoé's eyes flashed red and then she reached to grab her light saber.

_Take out you light saber._

Leia didn't comment on how she hated when the woman did that, but took it out anyway. When the sith lady lit hers, Leia stepped back.

"What are you doing?" she asked cautiously.

"We're sparring. What do you think?" Pesinoé asked impatiently.

Leia eyed the red blade before looking back up. "So you're not going to teach me techniques or how to even use one. You're just going to fight me."

"You learn best by doing dear," Pesinoé replied.

Leia lit the saber and barely blocked Pesinoé's first strike. The older woman was much stronger than she was. While Leia was holder her weapon with both hands and holding it with all her might, Pesinoé looked like she was barely using her strength.

"Weak girl," she said and lifted her blade and cut Leia upper arms.

Leia hissed in pain and stepped back.

"Don't run from me. Fight me. Suppose you're sitting here fighting for your life as I try to kill you," Pesinoé urged.

"You are trying to kill me!" Leia yelled.

Pesinoé laughed. "Believe me girl. I'm not trying to kill you right now."

"Could have fooled me," Leia shot as Pesinoé struck her again and Leia again just barely missed the strike.

It kept like that for a while. Leia lost track of time. All she knew was that it had to be a long time if she was sweating in a way she had never done so before. Then again, Pesinoé looked like she was hardly breaking a sweat. She didn't understand it. How did Alex and Obi-Wan, even Luke to some degree, make this look so easy?

Leia fell again, this time dropping her light saber, and ran a hand through her now messy hair.

"Get up," Pesinoé said in a cool tone. Leia now saw what people meant when they said Pesinoé was always in control. Her frustration with Leia was obvious to Leia. Yet it didn't show on her face and the woman had yet to raise her voice at her.

Leia on the other hand had lost all the control she had learned from being raised as a princess and a senator.

"I can't. I don't even know how to fight you. Some master you are. You're going to kill me," Leia shouted.

"I couldn't be any less concerned about how you feel about me or how you feel physically right now. You will get up and you will fight me like your life depends on it," Pesinoé said with yellow eye as her voice went up a notch.

"No. I'm done. I'll never be your apprentice," Leia shot in rage.

"In that case, I'm sure Boba Fett will jump for joy when I hand over your precious smuggler. Then I'll personally see to it that your brother and your two friends are delivered to the empire," Pesinoé threatened.

"You wouldn't," Leia hissed all the while trying to get rid of the fear that gripped her heart.

"You know I would, but if you act like a good little apprentice and do what you master says, I might be persuaded into keeping them safe for a while."

Leia looked down and growled.

"Fine _master_," Leia decided. "Let's fight."

Leia summoned her light saber and with a battle cry had jumped to her feet and viciously attacked Pesinoé. Her strikes were quicker and fiercer with more energy in them. Pesinoé met her stroke for stroke despite her initial surprise. She had expected her to hold out a little more being that she was her mother's child. Padmé had the unique ability to take much and forgive a million times over, a trait that drove Pesinoé crazy. Leia it seem though, was more her father's child than her mother's. Leia had been battling her temper from the beginning it seemed and it only took Pesinoé pushing the right buttons to unleash it. Yes… She was very much like her father.

Leia lost herself in trying to get some kind of attack on the woman who called herself her master. Before this session, Pesinoé would feel some of her pain. Then something stopped her cold.

_Yes, that's it Leia. Lash out at me in your fear and anger._

Leia stopped her assault earning herself a vicious slash on her shoulder.

"Why did you stop?" Pesinoé asked with a smile, a sadistic one.

Leia glared as she tried to get a reign on her emotions. This was exactly what Pesinoé wanted. She was trying to drive her to the dark side, but Leia was smarter than that.

"I won't fall for your tricks. I'll let you teach me but I will not succumb to the dark side," Leia declared.

"For how long though Leia dear?" Pesinoé asked. "Don't you see how powerful your anger makes you? Look what you were able to do when you almost gave into your fear and anger, when you let it consume you. It gives you focus."

"No, it made me weak. In focusing on you, I wasn't aware of anything around me. There's nothing to gain from the dark side."

"That's why you have to learn to channel your anger and fear properly into an orderly and deadly weapon. I too had to learn to control and channel my anger properly and I had to do it on my own. But with my help, you can become very powerful in the ways of the force."

"Stop wasting your breath," Leia snapped standing up.

Pesinoé smiled. "It's only a matter of time dear. You can't resist the call of the dark side forever once you've felt what it can do for you."

Leia glared and started to walk away.

"I didn't dismiss you my apprentice," Pesinoé said and Leia came back slowly. More quality time with Pesinoé, perfect…

"What?" she snapped.

Pesinoé pointed her light saber at her.

Leia held back a groan. "Yes_ master_."

"Let's go over your mistakes," she said.

"Now you want to teach me technique," Leia snapped rolling her eyes.

Pesinoé hook her light saber back on her belt and took Leia's

"First thing. Your grip is incorrect for this type of saber. You're too tense. But since you didn't build it especially for yourself, I suppose you're excused for being uncomfortable and a little awkward with it. Hold it like this," Pesinoé said showing her the correct grip. "This weapon was built for a more offensive and aggressive technique. That's why the material here is a little rough. It's made so that you don't lose your grip on it."

"How would you know? It doesn't seem any different from my brother's light saber," Leia replied shrugging.

"First off, I built this light saber so I would know," Pesinoé pointed out.

Leia cringed. She had almost forgotten about that. Instead she glared and said, "You didn't build this. My father's padawan built it, Ahsoka Tano."

Leia thought the woman would have gotten mad but she smiled. "You're absolutely right. I'm glad you can see that unlike your stupid father. Thinking I'll turn back to my 'good' ways… Second I'm guessing your brother has your father's light saber."

Leia nodded but Pesinoé had continued before she saw her. "He was Ahsoka Tano's old master. Of course she would build her light saber similarly to her master's. She was practically in love with him. But it might not be the case. You're certainly no expert when it comes to light sabers."

Leia missed everything Pesinoé said after she mentioned that Ahsoka had been practically in love with her father. She could have taken it as that at one time she had adored him, but something in Pesinoé's tone made it sound much more serious than that. Even though this was her worst enemy, and Leia had made it her business to make this as difficult for Pesinoé as she possibly could, she couldn't help but let her curiosity get the best of her.

"You were in love with my father?" she asked.

"Of course not."

"That's what you just said."

"I said Ahsoka Tano practically was in love with him, not that she was. Besides, that's no reason to get any hope for yourself. I harbor nothing but ill will towards your father."

Leia rolled her eyes. "You can sure hold a grudge. He's dead."

Leia heard Pesinoé make a sound that was something of a cross between a snicker and a hiss.

"The dead have done nothing wrong," Leia pointed out.

"Tell that to yourself if someone betrays you and die later. Besides, it's not what happens after they're dead that matters. It's what they did when they were alive," Pesinoé said and brushed past Leia, agitating one of her wounds.

Leia hissed in pain.

"Go to your room. My ladies will see to your injuries. You're useless to me if you can't train tomorrow. I'll be expecting you at dinner in two hours," Pesinoé said as she left the room.

Suddenly, Leia was more curious than ever about her worst enemy. Sure, she knew all the atrocities she had committed. Her adopted father had drilled that into her head as a child. But as much Leia hated to admit it, though Pesinoé was certainly evil, she wasn't the embodiment of evil. That prize went to the emperor himself. But Darth Pesinoé was an enigma. There was something more to the woman than what met the eye. Something drove her to commit the atrocities other than just getting pleasure from cruelty (Leia didn't kid herself though. Pesinoé took plenty of pleasure in cruelty). The way she had spoken before about her old self being practically in love with her master...

Leia shakily started out the room. There was more to this story than people were letting on, some element that would be the key to her beating Pesinoé at her own game. Her thoughts went back to Alex and Pemé. She always got the feeling there was more to the story of Pesinoé's betrayal than they let on. They were somewhere in this facility. Now the only obstacle was to get her _master_ to let her see them.

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Leia walked into the dining area where Pesinoé was waiting for her. Pesinoé looked at her, watching her carefully even as Leia finally sat down. The girl tilted her chin up and looked at Pesinoé.

"Why am I so interesting?"

Pesinoé didn't reply immediately as she looked at the simple, but extravagant dress her ladies had dressed Leia in, yet it didn't threaten to swallow her short petite for. Her hair was braided and wrapped elegantly behind her head and then tied into a long braid down her back. Pesinoé turned away and began to sip on her wine.

"You look like your mother," she said simply trying to reign in on her temper.

Leia blinked. She certainly hadn't expected that. "Thank you… I guess."

Pesinoé smirked. "It wasn't a compliment my apprentice. I hate your mother."

Leia was startled. Sure she knew Pesinoé had killed her mother, but she always thought it was because she was married to her father. Then again, Pesinoé had mentioned that she had been with her mother while she was pregnant, and she had been her father's padawan. Leia took this as an opportunity to learn more about the sith lady.

"Why?"

Pesinoé gave Leia a look that told the younger woman to back off the topic and so Leia took a different approach.

"You knew about their marriage?" Leia asked.

Pesinoé normally didn't talk about her life before the end of the clone wars, but she knew what Leia was doing. She'd humor her.

"A few weeks before the war ended, yes," she replied.

"So you spent some time with her for a while?" Leia asked. "You told me you sensed Luke."

"I suppose you could call it that."

"What was she like?"

Pesinoé slowly turned her head towards Leia and Leia met her gaze. The woman smirked, and Leia looked at her patiently yet expectantly.

"I have nothing good to say about your mother. You don't want to hear my opinion on her. It won't be nice," Pesinoé replied slowly as she stared at her wine.

She spoke again before Leia could reply. "She was a manipulative and conniving Senator. She plotted with the jedi to take over the republic. I was a very powerful force user and on my way to becoming one of the most powerful jedi in the order. But the jedi were afraid of that. They wanted to control me."

Leia sat up straighter and picked up a piece of her food. "My father always told me the jedi were peace keepers. They didn't want to rule."

"You weren't there dear. The jedi plotted and schemed with senators like your mother and Bail Organa to overthrow Palpatine and they used your father as the poster boy, the so-called hero that represented the jedi to make people not see what they were really up to. Your father was stupid. He let your mother and the jedi control him, brainwash him into betraying me with that whore of a senator he called his wife," Pesinoé snapped.

Leia's heart was racing inside. At first Pesinoé had been very careful about what she said, but it seemed like her emotions, the dark side, was getting the best of her, and she was starting to tiptoe around some things Leia wanted to know.

"You're one to talk about betrayal," Leia shot playing on the woman's anger. "You're the one that betrayed them, turned on them, and killed them."

"I went after your parents because they betrayed me. Don't get it wrong dear. If your father hadn't fallen for your mother's manipulations in the first place and married her, maybe I wouldn't have had to do it," Pesinoé snapped.

Leia blinked in surprise. This was far from what she was expecting. She'd always assumed it had something to do with Pesinoé becoming jealous of her father or something. But the way Pesinoé was talking alluded to something else…

"What did my parent's marriage have to do with this?" Leia asked carefully.

"It had everything to do with it, princess," Pesinoé said like she was lost in a long forgotten memory. "I-."

Pesinoé stopped, her lips curling into a snarl. And then without warning Pesinoé stood up and, Leia felt pain, like her body was turning on her. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"Stupid girl," Pesinoé snapped darkly. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"Stop it!" Leia yelled and unconsciously pushed the woman back down in her chair with the force.

Pesinoé stopped what she was doing, seemingly snapping out of what seemed like a trance. Leia's pain went away and she let go of herself. Pesinoé was now regarding her with a smirk.

"Hm… You'd make a good sith lady. Manipulating a conversation, seducing a person by making them think you're only asking them questions they want to answer. You'll be starting down the dark path without even trying soon," the sith lady said staring at her apprentice. She smiled at Leia, but Leia could see it was a warning. "Don't try it on me again."

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AN: I loved writing this chapter because Leia's obviously trying to find out as much as she can about Pesinoé, but since Pesinoé's mastered the game of seduction and manipulation, of course she'd catch on and maybe throw a fit. I loved unraveling and unsettling her in this.

Oh and before I forge, I try not to update on Sunday which is why I didn't update yesterday even though I was on this site for a minute. And for those reading _Light if Liberty _I'll be updating it later. It's a colossal undertaking to edit that thing since it's so many words. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	10. Chapter 10

For the love of God! My life is about to get a whole lot busier. I'm looking for a job on campus, I got an invitation to this leadership society that I can't pass up because I saw the word _scholarship_, and I'm typing this. Not so mad at school anymore. I'm kind of like, whatever… I can squeeze a job in now.

Anyway, this chapter is more of Pesinoé trying to undermine Leia's belief system very subtly. I enjoy writing them along with Pesinoe's sudden unstable personality. It was so fun. Also a little bit of Luke starting to feel something not right and a surprise at the end that one of my muses forced me to write. Oh and someone mentioned that Leia was a bit whiny in the last chapter and maybe she was depending on how you read it, but that's why I was kind of trying to warn everyone in the beginning when Leia said she knew she was acting incredibly immature and childish. Alright. That's it. Read, Enjoy, and Review Please!

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Chapter Ten

Luke was haunted by the memory of his vision in the dark cave. He didn't know what it meant yet, but he was positive it had a meaning. Yoda had been teaching him how to meditate to find the answer to his problems, but so far, he had no luck. Today, he was meditating… again. He didn't mind meditating. It was calming. It helped him slow down. He found himself amused. He doubted Leia would find it that way. She always had to be working, especially now since she had been having those nightmares. He felt something through their bond all of a sudden and it snapped him out of his meditation. Something was wrong…

Luke got up and met Yoda standing with his walking stick looking at him disapprovingly.

"Just like your father, you are. Do what you are told, you do not. Got your father in trouble many times, it did. Darth Pesinoé, good example of that, she is?"

"What do you mean by that?" Luke asked momentarily forgetting about his sister.

"The chance to kill her, he had. Do it, he refused," Yoda said.

Luke shrugged. "Well, she was his padawan. I can't blame him."

Yoda hit him in the leg with his stick.

"Ow! What was that for?" Luke asked rubbing his leg.

"Duty always comes first, young Skywalker. Let emotions get in the way of what must be done, you should not. Now why are you not meditating?" Yoda asked.

Based on what Yoda had just said, Luke figured he was about to earn another hit in the leg. He sighed and sat back down.

"My sister," he said quietly. "She's… I don't know. It's not quite danger yet. But she's feeling a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and pain… lots of pain. She's conflicted. I need to go to her."

"Finish the training you must. Besides, know you do not what is really happening. No need to rush blindly into such things," Yoda replied.

"I guess she's fine for now. I feel some semblance of security from her," Luke replied.

"Then forget and not worry, you must. Come. More training, I have for you today. You must be ready after your failure in the dark cave."

Luke paused before following the jedi master. He was beginning to wonder if this was what Alex meant when he said the old masters were stuck in their way about attachments. Yoda seemed so passive and uncaring about his concerns with his sister. And while he agreed that he probably shouldn't just go to her without knowing everything that was going on, Yoda could at least act a little more concerned that this was his sister, his twin sister no less, and let him investigate it further.

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Leia locked the door to her room and steamily sat on her bed in a meditative position. She had to let go of this anger and hate that was building more everyday she train with 'her master'. Darth Pesinoé pushed her to the edge everyday and though it got harder and harder every time, Leia was always able to pull herself out of her emotions. However, it was getting harder to tell the difference between dark and light… heck, she didn't even know what the light was. She just knew giving in to her anger wasn't the route to go.

Leia sighed. She was practically desperate now. She had no idea how long she could hold out on the dark side, and she missed Alex and Pemé. They were the closest things to parents she had. They were here somewhere, but she wasn't about to ask Pesinoé about it anytime soon. It hadn't ended well last time…

Pesinoé was another matter all together. The woman seemed to have a dual personality. One moment she was brutal and unforgiving in the duel and the next moment, she was gentle and showing Leia how to properly stand her ground and grip a light saber. They'd even had a civil conversation about government before…

"_Still intending to learn all you can from me and then turn around and kill me along with the emperor and restore the republic?" Pesinoé had said with a laugh after a particularly brutal training day._

_Leia groaned. She was aching all over, but at least she had no cuts. She had learned how to use a light saber quickly after being cut and burned mercilessly by Pesinoé's blade the first three days. She wasn't that skilled, but she knew the basics. It had also helped when Pesinoé had finally caved and showed her some techniques. It was times like those she wondered if Pesinoé was really evil… Sometimes she just seemed a little misguided. She was her own woman when it came to doing things, but her opinions seemed to stem from the Emperor…_

"_Shut up," Leia snapped risking punishment. She couldn't have cared less._

"_I'll take that as a yes. Hmp. You'll practically be driving yourself to the dark side then," Pesinoé replied._

"_How?" Leia asked cautiously._

"_Because what you want is revenge. You want to kill me and the emperor for what we've made you suffer through," Pesinoé pointed out standing in a suggestive way. Leia couldn't believe how easy Pesinoé acted and talked like she was always trying to seduce someone._

"_No, I want justice. There's a difference."_

"_Yet you don't seem to know what it is."_

"_And you do?" Leia shot dryly._

"_Of course. Revenge is personal. It's not about anyone else and you do whatever you have to in order to get it when it's about you. Justice is usually tied to other people and you're always careful about how you go about it," Pesinoé replied knowingly._

"_Well of course killing you and the emperor would be justice. I'd be doing a whole lot of people a favor,"Leia said firmly._

"_Sure, but at what cost dear. I can feel your desperation and soon you'll be so desperate you'll be willing to do anything to get what you want, even turn to the dark side. It's only a matter of time before you cave."_

_If Leia didn't know any better, she would have thought Pesinoé was trying to warn her. She had felt the pride through their bond before. She was impressed at the Leia's strength and ability to resist her along with a twinge of what felt like… jealousy._

"_What do you know about the republic anyway dear?"_

"_My father told me…" Leia trailed off as Pesinoé rolled her eyes._

"_It's always what your father said. That just goes to show you know nothing. I lived it dear and democracy isn't all it's caked up to be."_

"_People were free to govern their lives the way they wanted to."_

"_They can do the same thing now."_

"_In an empire? Where everything is governed by one person? Where there is no individual freedom?"_

_Pesinoé bent down to Leia's level. "People are corrupt princess," she said slowly. "No one really cares how the galaxy is governed. They're too selfish… most people anyway and the only reason they want a say in how the galaxy is governed is because you give them the choice in the first place. They're like children. They need good parents to tell them what to do."_

"_Children grow up," Leia said mocking Pesinoé's deliberateness._

"_True and then they come to see the wisdom in their parent's way for the most part, when you have a smart child. But the thing is, unless you steer people the right way by telling what they can and can't do, they're going to mess up."_

"_But that can't be that way with everything. Some things are up to the child to choose. Some things aren't right and wrong. It's just a person's way. It may be bothersome but as long as it's not causing any harm it's fine," Leia replied._

"_Explain yourself child," Pesinoé replied._

"_Slavery is wrong, no matter how you look at it and no one should have to debate on whether or not it needs to be eradicated or corrected. Sure we can debate on how to go about doing it, but it has to be dealt with. Period. It can't be ignored and no one should be left to decide whether it's dealt with or not. But something like a matter of religion or personal beliefs or even rituals like holidays are just a matter of opinion and depending on the atmosphere of the time people are going to swing different ways. They had a right to choose what they want to do. People should have a right, for example, to decide not to want to celebrate Empire day."_

"_The same can be said about slavery," Pesinoé replied._

"_Anyone who could condone that is just being selfish. To take away a person's freedom without good reason, no one wants that done to them," Leia said softly. "Therefore, there's no debate to be had. Greedy, heartless people who only care about themselves and money would do that."_

"_There are people like that in the galaxy though so you'd have to have a person who can just declare it and then move out on it. That's why it was never able to be eradicated in the outer rim. It took too much debate to decide whether to do it or not," Pesinoé explained and then said, "So what you're saying is that some things aren't up for debate. Wrong is wrong. But some things can be left to people to decide."_

"_Yes," Leia said. "Too far either way makes a mess of the galaxy and rebellion…"_

_Pesinoé looked at her with a smirk. "Now do you get my point dear?"_

_Leia was steamed. Pesinoé had somehow manipulated her into saying that perhaps some aspects of the empire weren't bad and sometimes people didn't need or rather couldn't be given the freedom to choose._

_When Leia didn't reply Pesinoé continued, "While I agree the emperor is dogmatic in his way and his only concern is power, to be able to do what he wants and go unchecked, I must say he's got the right idea."_

"_I still stand by my original plan," Leia declared and Pesinoé leaned in close to Leia._

"_And then what? You kill me and the emperor and the galaxy is in shambles. You declare a republic and then what about all the governors and grand moffs and the military that I control? You would never get a stable republic. The galaxy would be in a perpetual state of war and rebellion. Besides, the galaxy needs someone like me to… persuade them into seeing things my way," Pesinoé said with a sultry smile and then stood up and walked away._

_Leia laughed and Pesinoé turned to look at her, the smile still in place._

"_What's so funny princess?"_

"_You know. I always wondered why you never settled down or got married or at least had a whole harem of men, besides the fact that you're a sith lady and all," Leia said in amusement._

_Pesinoé's expression faltered. "Why do you say that?"_

"_I don't know. But you always seem to act and talk like you're seducing someone without trying. It's so part of you, I bet you could have any man you wanted in the galaxy," Leia said dryly with a laugh._

_Pesinoé scowled and her mood turned dark. She didn't say anything, just stormed out the training room in a huff. Leia sighed. So much for her being in a good mood…_

Leia couldn't help but think that Pesinoé would have been the type of person she'd really liked if she weren't a sith and that scared her. She was supposed to hate Pesinoé with every fiber of her being, but sometimes Leia felt sorry for her. There was more to the sith lady than what was apparent and it attributed to her almost split personality… if you could call it that. Leia rarely saw Pesinoé's gentler (somewhat gentler anyway) side.

_Force, _Leia thought in her meditation. _Please help me._

It was then that Anakin felt the first signs of the force in days. He couldn't wait to get out of here (which he would) and kill Pesinoé (which he probably wouldn't) for this. Ysalamiri. Really. He wondered if she'd like to be shoved into the bubble the lizard created. And force knew what she was doing to Leia if the girl was as stubborn as he and Padmé were combined.

_Please help me._

Anakin almost jolted out of his meditation… if he could call it that since he couldn't feel the force like he wanted. He had figured out days ago that he wasn't quite in the Ysalamiri bubble but on the edge of it, close enough to it that it still dimmed his force ability, but just enough outside it that he could still touch the force for little thing… like telekensis.

_Leia?_ Anakin sent.

Leia almost snapped out of her meditation and broke the connection in surprise. She hadn't expected an answer. She knew that voice... from her dreams.

'_Father?_' she sent.

Anakin tensed. She wasn't supposed to be able to get to him. She wasn't even trained in the force yet. Bonded or not, without knowing how to access the bond in addition to Leia not knowing they were related, she shouldn't be able to call him. He sighed. He may as well answer. Although he could distort his appearance with the force, there was no disguising his thoughts. Leia heard him for who he really was in the force and not the slightly distorted on he used as 'Alex'.

_Yes,_ he said with a smile even though she couldn't see it.

Leia was shocked, and Anakin felt it through their bond.

_But I don't get it. You're dead. Where are you_

Anakin smiled. It wouldn't be a lie. _There is no death. There is only the force. I'm here with you, always. I sense that you're in distress. What's wrong?_

Leia told him everything that had happened in the last few days. It was great to have someone to talk to, especially since she wasn't quite sure where Luke was and where ever he was, he was too far away to contact mentally.

_Pesinoé's been training you then…_ Anakin replied gravely. That would explain how she found the bond.

_And it's getting so hard to resist it, the dark side I mean. She just pushes me there and then the next minute she's confusing me with her personality. It's almost like she cares sometimes. And sometimes I'll ask her about before the empire or I'll mention Han and she gets all moody and touchy. It's almost like she's jealous. I don't know… I've always seen Pesinoé as this evil person who only knew cruelty. But now… It's different. I don't hate her as much. I'm confused, _Leia admitted.

Anakin sent a mental sigh and Leia scowled.

_You know don't you. You know why she's like this, don't you?_

_She was my padawan, _Anakin sent. _Of course I know, but I'm already on bad terms with the council. It's complicated. It's better you didn't know._

_So now what? What do I do? I can't tell her no. She'll hurt Han and Alex and Peme! _Leia thought.

Anakin thought for a moment and then said, _I'll help teach you how to resist the temptation of the dark side and draw into the light. Pesinoé can teach you physical things, but I'll show you how to do it with the light._

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**AN**: My muses would not let me take this story in the direction I wanted without writing that scene. I really was going to delete it and just let the story go on from there, but my _beacon of light_ muse said, "You can't really just leave her mixed up in all of that. You've got to give her something to cling on." And for the sake of my muse leaving me alone, I said whatever! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	11. Chapter 11

This chapter sets up for the dramatic climax. A whole bunch of things are happening that set up for the final confrontation of the story. Not much to say except this is a longer chapter and it reveals some stuff about Pesinoé's true motives. It's one of my favorite chapters. Read, enjoy, and review please!

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Chapter Eleven

_Dad, can I ask you something?_ Leia asked.

_Hm, _Anakin said.

_I don't get the jedi code. _Leia said.

For the last few days, Anakin had been guiding Leia through her forced training with Pesinoé. She had confided in him though that she was starting to like the sith lady's presence sometimes. She also mentioned that Mara Jade was an interesting character. The red headed woman was two years younger than her, but she acted so haughty. Anakin snickered when Leia said that. Apparently, she didn't look at herself in the mirror. He had been wondering when Leia would decide to ask him about the code though. He remembered reciting it to her and then telling her some other rules. He felt her slight confusion.

_Why does it forbid love?_

Anakin couldn't say he hadn't been expecting this. She had grown up in a family where love abounded and there was no need to hide it. And she was sure her mother (both of them) used to gush to her about one day getting married and getting a family, things that usually involved in finding love.

_You remember that line in the code. There is no emotion, there is peace._ Leia gave a metal nod. _Love is an emotion, an emotion that can cloud a person's and love also leads to attachment to those you love._

Leia gave a mental frown. _I don't see the problem with doing something out of love. I love Luke and I'd do anything to save him. In fact that's one of the reasons I'm letting Pesinoé train me._

_That's fine. But love can also lead a person to doing dangerous and evil things, even though the intent behind it might not be malicious. Like any emotion, it can twist your mind if not handled properly, _Anakin sent.

Leia was quiet for a moment as she contemplated it. Then she responded dryly, _Whose dumb idea was it to ban love then?_

_What do you mean?_

_Well, from your explanation of it, it just means to keep them in check. That when things happen to those you love, don't let it cloud your thinking, keep it in control and don't let your fear get the best of you before you act. It sounds a bit like having to learn to accept things and move on because things happen and when you overcome them, it makes you better, right? _Leia asked.

Anakin smiled. _You're wise beyond your years princess. I'm very proud of you. _

Leia was silent again and Anakin could tell she was brooding on something else. Finally she said, _Was that what happened to Pesinoé?_

Leia detected the change in her father's mental presence. He seemed tense all of a sudden, not to mention very sad.

_Yes, _Anakin admitted. _The council doesn't seem to understand that though. They're so stuck in the code. Now don't take this wrong. The jedi didn't deserve to be eradicated, but to be honest, they had it coming. The new generation of jedi that was coming up was different. I could feel it. I was just the vanguard of it. Then there was Ahsoka. Tashina and Rashina, even Obi-Wan to some degree and then you and Luke were coming right along… Our numbers were already low. The jedi order was dying and had been for a long time. If Pesinoé hadn't done it, it would have happened anyway by the jedi's own hands._

_What happened? Why did Pesinoé turn?_

_It's a long story... One I don't think-._

_Princess._

Leia snapped out her mediation at Pesinoé's call to her. Darn. Just as she was getting somewhere…

"Yes," Leia said aloud though she sent it to Pesinoé through her thoughts.

_That's enough meditation. Come to dinner now._

Leia groaned. Perfect. Another fine evening with her master. Couldn't she just send it to her room again like she had been doing for the last few nights. Pesinoé was confusing to be around, especially since she could have a mood swing in a second. The only way Leia could detect her mood swings was with their bond. Otherwise, Pesinoé always looked rather passive and cool. Even through their bond, it was hard to detect her mood. Pesinoé seemed so guarded.

Leia got to the dining area and started to sit down in her usual spot before Pesinoé put out her prosthetic hand to stop her. It was then Leia noticed Pesinoé was standing as well.

"What?" she snapped.

Pesinoé put her hand to her chin and raised her to meet her eyes.

"You look unwell. Are you okay?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Well, considering you're keeping away everyone I care about and I have to keep my brother from saving me lest you kill him or turn him over to the emperor, I think I have the right to be a little bothered, outraged, sad," she added turning away from Pesinoé.

Pesinoé dropped her hand. "Lonely perhaps?"

Leia looked up in surprise and then said coyly, "So you know the feeling perhaps?"

"Hmp," Pesinoé replied and left the dining area.

Leia scowled. "What was the point of bringing me down here to eat if she was going to leave anyway?" she asked herself grabbing her chair.

Just as soon as she started to do so, the door opened again and two storm troopers came in the room, followed by…

"Han," she cried, ran into his arms, and kissed him.

Outside the room, Pesinoé heard Leia's cry and scowled. There was only one reason she was doing this and that was to carefully manipulate the princess' turn to the dark side. It had nothing to do with feeling sorry for her loneliness or because Leia awakened another side of her that had long been forgotten and she was starting to grow fond of the girl who had her father's stubbornness, wit, temper, rebellion, and a touch of arrogance. Because of that it was easy to ignore who her mother was and the traits she got from the woman… At least Pesinoé had convinced herself it had nothing to do with that. She wasn't fooling anyone.

"You're too lenient with her," Mara Jade said. "I would have never let her see him if I were you."

"You're not me. That's the point child," Pesinoé said to the young woman.

"As soon as I get out of here, I'm reporting you to the emperor. I will not participate in this betrayal," Mara Jade declared.

"If you didn't so blindly serve my master, you would see that not only is he using you, both of us actually, you'd also see that my plan could greatly benefit you," Pesinoé said suggestively.

"Don't play your crazy force seduction tricks on me," Mara said. "I know what you're doing."

"But that doesn't mean it hasn't been working," Pesinoé said smirking.

Mara glared at her. She'd never admit that was true. "You're growing fond of the girl," she said instead. "I don't think you'd even kill her even if she didn't turn."

Pesinoé shrugged uncaringly. But inside, Mara had touched a nerve. She didn't think it was that deep, but she hadn't been as angry and hateful as she usually was and it concerned her. For so long, it had driven her, but if it was going away, if she let all that go, then what did she use to drive her…

Mara looked at the woman from behind as she walked away and then to the doors of the dining room. It was time she stopped taking orders from Pesinoé, and she knew exactly the first step to doing it.

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Ever since Yoda had lifted his ship out the swamp, Luke had more confidence in being able to use the force. Over the last week, he had become more focus and it took less energy to concentrate. At the moment, he was upside down and lifted two cases into the air with the force.

"Good, young Skywalker. Concentrate. Feel the Force flow. Calm, yes. Through the force, things you will see. Other places. The future, the past…"

Artoo whistled and beeped furiously as Luke lifted him into the air with the other cases. Luke almost laughed, but didn't lest he loose his concentration. Suddenly his mind saw a picture of Leia. She was in a dark room with Chewie, Pemé, and Alex. She was staring at something and Luke wasn't sure what it was… He noticed he didn't see Han in the picture as soon as a tidal wave of pain and sadness swept him.

"Leia," Luke said and lost his concentration in the force. Artoo and the cases fell down, while Luke then fell over. He groaned, vaguely aware that Artoo had fallen on its side and was beeping furiously for Luke to lift him up.

"Control," Yoda said. "You must learn control."

To be quite honest, the last thing Luke was thinking about was control. Leia and Han were in trouble…

"I saw a city in the clouds," Luke said.

"Mmm… Friends you have there," Yoda replied.

Luke shook his head. "Not just friends. My sister. I've been feeling something from her all week, but it wasn't this bad. She's in pain and confused about something. I'm afraid something's wrong."

"It is the future you see."

"Future," Luke muttered. "Will they die?"

Yoda closed his eyes. "Difficult to see. Always in motion, the future is."

Luke got up and brushed himself off. "I'm going to them. I'm leaving right now."

"Cloud your judgment, your fear does. If go to them now, destroy all they have fought and suffered for, you may," Yoda warned.

Luke shook his head and began to gather his things. "You stopped me before. You're not stopping me again. Something's wrong with Leia. She needs me."

Later, when Luke had gotten all his things together, Yoda was still trying to stop him from leaving. Luke was ignoring him for the most part. The force was whispering to him and he doubted it would be doing so if he was to stay. Then again, he never contemplated whether the force was whispering for him not to go.

"Complete the training, you must," Yoda insisted.

"You don't get it," Luke said. "Leia's my sister. We have a bond. It'll kill me if something bad happens to her."

"Had a sister too, I once did. Sad I was when she passed, but rejoiced, I did, that one with the force she had become," Yoda said.

Luke resisted the urge to curse in huttese. "I'm going."

"Luke," another voice said and Obi-Wan materialized next to Yoda. "This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the force."

"I'm not going to sit here and do nothing while the people I care about are in danger," Luke said when he got over his awe at seeing Ben.

"Headed toward a dark path, you are. If can't let go of your attachment to your friends and family, consume you, your desire to save them will," Yoda warned.

"So what are you saying?" Luke asked stopping for a moment. "That I just accept that they could die knowing I could have done something."

"Things happen. Accept when there is nothing to be done, you must. Bring everything under your control, you cannot. Learn this, Pesinoé could not. Drove her mad when rejected her, your father did. To the dark side, she decided to turn."

Luke froze as he started to mess with Artoo. He turned to Obi-Wan and Yoda with curiosity. "My father rejected Pesinoé… You mean when she turned right to the dark side right?"

The jedi were quiet and it suddenly dawned on Luke. He had always known there was more to Pesinoé's story than they told. "Wait. Pesinoé was in love with my father. Wasn't she?"

"Yes." Obi-Wan admitted. "Palpatine used it to manipulate her to the dark side. But in turning, Pesinoé forgot all about that. She became drunk on the power of the dark side."

"So that means…" Luke trailed off. "That's why my father didn't want you to train me. He thinks there's still good in her."

"Once started down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny," Obi-Wan said.

Luke contemplated this and then started to get Artoo going, except some mud had gotten into his circuits from when he crashed earlier. He started to clean it out.

"I'll be back. I promise to return and finish what I've begun," Luke declared.

"Pesinoé is trying to lure you to her. The emperor desires your abilities. That is why your friends are made to suffer."

"Pesinoé wasn't in my vision. Besides, that's why I have to go," Luke said trying to get a piece of mud out Artoo's circuits.

"We don't want to lose you like your father lost Pesinoé," Obi-Wan insisted.

"You won't," Luke replied.

"Conquer Pesinoé and the emperor, only a fully trained jedi with the Force as his ally will. If choose the quick and easy path, as Pesinoé did, become an agent of evil, you will."

"Patience," Obi-Wan added.

"I won't sacrifice my sister to do that," Luke replied. "And I won't turn. There must be-."

Luke was cut off as he knocked something, a blockage it looked like out of place in Artoo's circuits. A holo began to play. Luke almost shut it off until he saw who was in it.

"Alex, Peme…" he said and looked at it… Why would they be on here? They looked different though, not just because they were younger.

It was a wedding ceremony, their wedding. Luke watched. He would have turned it off, but something told him to keep watching. When the priest pronounced them man and wife and said their names, he knew why. Luke stared at the video in disbelief and then his disbelief became something of rage, hurt, and betrayal…

The holo ended and Luke stared.

"Luke," Obi-Wan said carefully. "It wasn't their fault. They wanted to tell you, but-."

"They lied!" Luke snapped and put Artoo into his ship. "You all lied. You told me they were dead!" Luke climbed into the pilot's seat.

"Luke, wait. You can't go anywhere like this. You're upset," Obi-Wan warned.

"That has nothing to do with saving Leia. I'll deal with my parents after all of this," Luke declared.

"Luke, don't give in to hate. It leads to the dark side," Obi-Wan warned.

"I won't," Luke said tensely and ordered Artoo to get ready. "I'll return. I promise."

With that, Luke too off leaving Yoda and Obi-Wan watching after him.

Yoda sighed. "Told you, I did. Reckless is he."

"Like all Skywalkers mind you," Obi-Wan pointed out. "But I fear what this new revelation will do for his balance. Somehow, I have a feeling this can't end well."

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Leia smiled as she brushed out her hair that evening. She had been so happy to see Han earlier. She couldn't believe Pesinoé would let her seem him. Leia had hardly eaten any dinner. Han had of course been concerned when she mentioned that Pesinoé was training her, but Leia assured him it was all part of her plan, even though she was beginning to doubt it herself. Maybe killing Pesinoé wasn't the way to go about destroying her. Her father seemed against the idea also, but hadn't told her his opinions, something about getting in trouble with the jedi council.

Just as she pinned her hair back up for the night and started to take off her jacket, her room door opened and Mara Jade walked in along with some of the guards from the facility Lando ran. The force began to embrace her and she frowned. Something was wrong.

"What's going on?"

"Follow me little girl," Mara replied as the men put cuffs on her.

Leia ignored the fact that she was actually two years older than the girl before her and began to protest.

"Why? What are you doing?"

"A little entertainment," Mara said leading them down the hallway.

"Mara, what are you doing?" Leia demanded.

"In a moment princess," Mara said and led then to a dark damp room with controls. Han was there, along with Chewie and Threepio. Han looked a little worse for wear than she had seen him during dinner.

"Han," Leia said going to stand next to him. "What's going on?"

Han scowled. "Why don't you ask Pesinoé when you get a chance?"

"Why? What's going on?" Leia asked looking at Han and turning to look at Mara. Lando was standing next to her along with the bounty hunter she had come to know as Boba Fett.

"We're testing the carbonite freezing chamber," Mara replied. "On Captain Solo."

"Han?" Leia said as fear crept into her heart. "No!"

She started to summon her light saber from her belt.

"I don't think so princess," Mara replied and two people came from the shadows of the room with storm troopers pointing their blasters at their heads.

"Pemé, Alex," she said in horror. "You wouldn't."

"I might not, but I'm doing this on Pesinoé's orders," Mara lied. "She's grown impatient with your stubbornness and thought you might need more motivation."

Leia's anger soared. She should have known better than to trust a sith. How dare she? Forget having mercy on the woman. When she was out of this, she was going to kill Pesinoé. Her betrayal would not be forgiven.

"We can't put him in there," Lando insisted. "It might kill him. This wasn't part of the deal."

"He's no good to me dead," Boba Fett added.

"The empire will compensate you if he dies," Mara said. "As for you Calarissian, the deal has been altered."

"Again," Lando said and then muttered, "This deal just keeps getting worse and worse."

Chewiw began to struggle, but Han calmed him. He didn't want the wookie to be hurt.

Han then turned back to Leia. He kissed her and Leia's heart broke as they put him on the platform. Sad and angry tears ran down her face.

"I love you!" Leia cried as the guards held her back.

"I know," replied Han as they began to lower him.

From where he was Anakin scowled, but couldn't find himself to be as disapproving of the relationship as he wanted to be as he watch his daughter cry for the pirate while they poured the liquid on him. Something else wasn't right here… If Pesinoé had ordered this, it didn't seem like her to not be here and oversee it.

When they lifted the block out, Lando looked at the control and adjusted the knobs.

"Did he survive?" Mara asked curiously.

"Yes, he's alive," Lando said stiffly. "And in perfect hibernation."

"He's all yours bounty hunter," Mara said to Boba Fett. "Now we will reset the chamber for Skywalker."

"Me," Leia asked.

"Not you. Your brother. He should be here soon," Mara replied.

"How?" Leia asked. "I-."

Leia's eyes widened. Mara had been counting on this. She knew Luke would sense her distress. He would probably have sensed it well before it began to happen… Leia couldn't find the words to voice her worries.

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Another chapter finished. Oh I loved writing the next few chapters. A lot of stuff came out and well, you'll see. And I know you're wondering where Pesinoé was and where the ladies in waiting are but you'll see. It's all planned out. So I guess I'll see you guys Monday. Hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, so I'm not at school today because I'm sick. So while I'm sitting here eating vegetable and noodle soup, I thought I'd post this. Not much to say and if I had something, it's lost in my sick fogged mind. Excuse me if my sick fogged mind missed some typos or errors. Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Twelve

Pesinoé grinned in triumph when she was finally able to get the door to her room open. The one and only thing she would thank her ex-master for was for teaching her how to override the security on a door and cross wires.

When she got her hands on that red-headed skank she was going to kill her, in the cruelest and unusual way she could think of... How dare Mara sabotage the locking mechanism in her room, not to mention she put the Ysalamiri somewhere over her room so she couldn't use the force to get out? It had taken forever for her to remember how to undo the wires and cross them so that the security was overridden. Now that she had access to the force however, Pesinoé found herself feeling something she had not felt for anyone in a while: worry.

Her apprentice was in pain. Mara had done something to her. Pesinoé let the dark side consume her even further. It was one thing for Mara to mess with her, but her apprentice was an entirely different story.

"Only I can mess with the princess," Pesinoé declared taking the elevator that her ladies were already waiting in.

"Milady," one of the torgruta began. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. Where is the princess?"

"In her room milady."

"No she's not! I was just there. Did you all have anything to do with a plan by Mara Jade!" Pesinoé hissed.

All the ladies shook their heads.

"Of course not milady," one said.

"We would never betray you," another said horrified at the prospect.

"That bitch," Pesinoé growled. "Why weren't you guarding her room?"

"You gave us the night off milady," a Twi'lek said timidly.

Pesinoé began to mutter every obscenity she could come up with. The one time she was in a good mood-or a better one than usual-and had dismissed her ladies, Mara had to plan some stunt like this. They arrived in the carbonite freezing room and Pesinoé noted that it was smoking as though it had just been used. That wasn't right… She was planning to test it so she could use it for the princess' brother but she hadn't given that command yet.

Mara was standing near the controls watching as the engineers reset the machine. Pesinoé raged at the sight of her.

"Jade!" she hissed. "You've got about a second to explain yourself to me before I kill you."

The red headed woman turned to Pesinoé with a smiled and opened her mouth to speak. Pesinoé didn't even bother trying to figure out a creative way to kill the woman. She wanted blood, and she wanted it right then. The sith lady lit her light-saber and her eyes turned sith yellow.

"Time's up," Pesinoé said and charged for the woman.

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"It's okay Leia," Padmé said hoping to comfort her distraught daughter. "Everything will be okay."

Leia wasn't hearing it. In fact, she wasn't hearing much of anything. She didn't know what to feel. One moment, she was consumed in her grief, then she was sad, angry, betrayed… Pesinoé had promised her. She at least thought the sith lady would honor her word.

"How could she do this to me?" Leia muttered as the guards pushed her along. They were leading all of them to cells now. She didn't care. Let them…

"From what I've heard, Mara serves the emperor and doesn't take to Pesinoé's rebellion to him. She serves him blindly. I don't think-."Anakin was cut off.

"I'm not talking about her. I mean Pesinoé," Leia snapped not noticing that the man didn't have to voice he usually did.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you Leia. I don't think…"

Whatever the man said, Leia didn't hear it. She had settled on one emotion now and that was her anger and now Leia was only focused on one thing… Killing Pesinoé for what she had done.

Just that quick, Leia had taken her light saber (the guards had forgotten to take it from her) off her belt and cut off her cuffs. She then turned on the guards and slashed them all down. Her blows weren't vicious enough to kill them. It wasn't their fault. They were just doing their job. But it was enough for them to be down for the count.

Leia then sprinted down the hallway.

Anakin cursed and started to go after her until he remembered the cuffs they were in. Anakin started to run the rest of the way to the detention area.

"Where are you going?" Padmé asked as he disappeared into the place. He came back out with his light saber and cut his cuffs before cutting her own and Chewie's.

Padmé rubber her wrist and then bent down to grab two of the dropped blasters.

"The bounty hunter hasn't left yet. You and Chewie go after him and see if you can get Han. I've got to find Leia. She's really angry," Anakin said and sprinted off in the direction Leia had gone.

Padmé looked after him and then turned to Chewie. She handed him a blaster.

"Here. See if you can find Han. I'm going after them," she declared. "Take Threepio with you."

With that, Padmé went back down the hall after them. Chewie turned to Threepio, who was still missing an arm, and said something. Threepio nodded.

"I completely agree with you. Now let's go. Standing here in this hall makes me nervous," Threepio said starting down the hall. Chewie growled and pulled him down another hall. They had to find Han first.

Meanwhile, Pesinoé was furiously fighting Mara Jade. It wouldn't be too long before the woman fell. She may have been trained in some of the ways of the force, but she wasn't a fully trained sith or jedi. So long as the emperor had control over her mind, she would never reach her full potential. This battle didn't even require Pesinoé's full strength, but she was so angry it didn't occur to her.

"The emperor will not stand for this. When I tell him that you tried to kill me, you'll be punished," Mara screamed as their blades crossed.

"To hell with the emperor," Pesinoé snapped. "It's not the first time I've killed one of his stupid lackeys and it won't be the last. Besides, you're not going to get the chance to tell him. You're leaving this city in a body bag Mara."

"You're overconfident," Mara snapped.

"No, you underestimate me. You forget who I am. I am Darth Pesinoé, the sith lady of seduction, and before this is over, you'll know why I got the name sexiest and most dangerous woman in the galaxy," Pesinoé declared and used the force to throw Mara back. The woman dropped her light saber and fell into the carbonite freezing chamber. Then Pesinoé was struck with a plan.

She slashed her light saber through both technicians and pressed the button to activate the chamber. The liquid poured into the chamber and Pesinoé watched with satisfaction as it froze Mara Jade. When it was done, she raised the platform to lift it out.

"I really wanted to kill you," Pesinoé said as she walked around the block. "But alas, I think you'd suffer more if I sent you off to the place Boba Fett is taking Captain Solo."

Pesinoé gestured for her ladies to come over. All of them were smiling a little in amusement. They had been betting on how long it would take and what Mara would do to make Pesinoé snap on her. Their mistress had lasted longer than usual.

"Have her sent to Jabba the Hutt. I don't care how. Wrap her up if you have to. Say it was from an anonymous admirer…"

"Too bad she's so loyal to the emperor," one of ladies said amongst themselves as they took Mara on one of the elevators. "I kind of liked her when she wasn't talking about the emperor. One would think she's in love with the old bastard."

Pesinoé sighed. Mara had just efficiently ruined her plans. Now she had to do damage control on Leia. Then again, she could use it to her advantage. No doubt her apprentice was ticked off.

"Darth Pesinoé."

Pesinoé turned around to face her apprentice passively. She looked like a raging bantha right then and if it weren't for Mara, Pesinoé would've been thrilled at the anger and hate that was coming off her apprentice in waves. The only problem was that it was solely directed at her. Pesinoé knew first hand that no one wanted to be on the receiving end of an angry force user. She had dished it out many times before and of course, the emperor had punished her, but what was coming off of Leia was different.

She sighed in exasperation suddenly regretting having Mara shipped off to Jabba. That was the person Leia should be angry at.

"Princess," Pesinoé said calmly eyeing Leia's lit light saber. "There's been a misunderstanding."

"Absolutely right. I should have never trusted you to keep your word," Leia hissed.

"And there's the misunderstanding. Mara Jade was not working on my behalf. She tricked you and I assure you she's been dealt with," Pesinoé said.

"Bantha pooda," Leia said raising her light saber. "You're the one who tricked me. You were planning this the whole time. I bet it was all part of your sick revenge against my father."

Pesinoé shrugged. "Part of the reason, but my intention was never to hurt you princess, not like this," she added.

"I knew it," Leia muttered. "And to think I thought you may have had a heart."

"That was a miscalculation on your part," Pesinoé said with a laugh. "But I can assure you, I'm no liar."

"You were using me the entire time," Leia yelled as her rage took over.

Pesinoé growled. This was getting out of hand. She had no choice now. Her subtle suggestions weren't going to work on Leia. She knew that from experience

"At first yes," she said softly. "But over time…"

Pesinoé trailed off. It had been a long time since she admitted she cared for someone. She wouldn't even admit she cared for her ladies a little. For the first time in twenty years, she pushed away the darkness that threatened to take her over, just a little, just enough so that she could admit it. She started to speak, but Leia apparently took her silence as her trying to come up with a lie.

"I don't want to hear it," Leia yelled. "I'm going to kill you!"

Leia charged at Darth Pesinoé. Pesinoé lit her saber and started to block, but someone else did it for her. Pesinoé had to admit, even she was surprised.

"Don't do this Leia," Anakin said standing between the two women. "Not like this. I know you're angry, but if you lash out in your anger, it'll just take you down a path you'll eventually regret."

"Or she might not," Pesinoé said with a smirk. "I never regretted turning to the dark side."

"Stay out of this Pesinoé," Anakin shot.

"No," Leia said pressing her blade harder against his as angry tears streamed down her face. "You stay out of this. She used me. She just wants to get revenge on my father. She'll never get it though. I'll have mine first. I'm going to kill her."

Pesinoé screamed in frustration. "Damn it child. I told you. That's how it started out. At first I did just want to use you for your power to help me overthrow the emperor and get revenge on your father by making him watch you turn to the dark side. But it changed alright?"

"What?" Leia said pulling back her blade. Anakin also dropped his to his side. He was about as shocked at Leia and Pesinoé looked shocked at herself.

"I'm still a sith. Don't get me wrong. But I do care about you," Pesinoé laughed. "You are your father's child. You look like your mother and you're a senator just like her, but when I look at you I see your dad and not as the man who betrayed me, but the person I used to care about very much. That and I got satisfaction knowing I took you away from your mother when I couldn't take your…"

Anakin stared in wonder at Pesinoé. He had almost lost hope that there was any good in Pesinoé, but it had just taken the right person to bring it out and it was Leia. He could have never done it himself because she was so angry at him for not loving her like she wanted. No wonder the force wanted Pesinoé to take her on as an apprentice. It might be the only way to save her.

It dawned on Leia then. "You were in love with my father. That's why you turned. And you still are…"

"No, I'm not and I turned because he and the jedi betrayed me," Pesinoé muttered in contempt.

"Same thing," Leia said coolly.

This made it different now. She couldn't just kill Pesinoé now. Not when she said that… Leia shook her head. Wait a minute. Pesinoé had lied to her and manipulated her before. Who was to say she wouldn't do it again?

"You liar," Leia screamed. "You're trying to trick me again!"

Whatever light had been sparked in Pesinoé went away when Leia screamed at her. Rejected… again.

"I'm a lot of things princess. I'm a murderer, a sadist, a bit of a sociopath. You name it, but I'm no liar. I'll tell you who the liar is. You talk and uphold your mother and father with so much pride, like they could do no wrong," Pesinoé hissed.

Anakin looked at Pesinoé with horror. "Pesinoé no. Please don't. Not like this."

Pesinoé ignored him. "Did the jedi ever tell you what really happened to your parents? I bet they didn't. Probably want to feed you that shit about attachment and how dangerous it is."

"They told me enough!" Leia shouted. "They told me you killed them. Hell, you told me."

"Stupid girl," Pesinoé snapped. "Name one time I actually said I killed your parents."

Leia started to retort and then realized that Pesinoé never said she killed them. She always said she went after them. That the emperor sent her to do the deed, but not once had she said she'd done it.

"I thought so. You want to know what happened to them. I'll tell you," Pesinoé hissed. "They're not dead. They're alive and they've been with you all this time."

"I don't want to hear this anymore," Leia snapped and slashed at Pesinoé with her light saber before Anakin had time to stop her.

Pesinoé met her stroke for stroke, letting her anger at the girl consume her. "Why not Leia," she taunted. "Upset that you're learning the truth from your enemy."

"You're lying," Leia declared.

"Reach out with the force Leia. You know it to be true," Pesinoé egged on. "Pemé and Alex Starkiller. Yeah right. They've been your parents all along and you know I'm telling the truth."

Leia continued to fight Pesinoé, but in her head she was going over her words and it all made sense. It was why she always felt closer to her handmaiden than her adopted mother, why when her handmaiden's husband came to visit, she instantly felt a connection with him…

She let out a cry and used her rage to fight against Pesinoé harder. Now she wasn't angry at her for lying. She was angry at her for telling her the truth instead of the two people who should have told her from the beginning. Leia was so focused on Pesinoé, she didn't notice that Anakin, her father, had slipped between them again and was stopping her from fighting Pesinoé.

Pesinoé rolled her eyes at the man and his stupid jedi principals and then smiled with satisfaction. If that's how he wanted to be, then fine. It looked like part of her plan was working despite Mara's interference. The Skywalkers would tear themselves apart themselves.

"Get out my way father," Leia said in a mocking tone. "Why are you protecting her?"

"I'm not protecting her, but you're using the dark side. If you strike her down like this, there will be no turning back," Anakin warned. "Come on princess. Please. Stop this. I love you."

Leia glared at her father. A few years ago she would have given anything to hear her father say those words to her face to face and thanked the force for the chance. But now she was seriously starting to doubt it. They had lied to her all this time and now he was protecting Pesinoé.

"If you don't get out of my way, I'll make you, father or not," Leia snapped.

"You don't mean that. It's the dark side talking," Anakin pleaded. He didn't need to see another person he cared about give in to this.

Leia growled and pulled her blade back quickly only to try to strike him again. Anakin jumped across the room to avoid it and Leia charged. Pesinoé simply smiled from where she was standing as she watched father and daughter fight each other.

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So what did you think about that huh? Again. This chapter wasn't actually supposed to happen like this but it wrote itself. I had always planned to have Leia fight Anakin and I got the idea from a story that wasn't all that good, but had Leia loosing it and fighting Luke. So I said, what if I can use that except with Anakin huh…? So tell me what you think about it. And I'll update Light of Liberty when I feel a little better later, or it might have to wait until Tuesday. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please.


	13. Chapter 13

I hate being sick… Well I'm not sick anymore. I'm at school now. But if I hadn't been sick I would have been done writing the sequel to this. But I'm not worried about it. I'll be over my grandma's house this weekend and while she has no internet, so no updates, it will give me a chance to write some stuff. I average about 20k words in one weekend alone up there. Yeap. I'll be that bored, especially since I'm not a tv person unless it's a couple of special shows.

Anywho, the dramatic second part of the last chapter. But I still do leave you with a little cliffy in this one. I promise I didn't mean it! Read, enjoy, and review.

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Chapter Thirteen

Padmé stopped as she was met with another two turns in the hallway. She didn't remember the way to where they were, and now she was hopelessly lost in the building.

"Please," she said out loud. "Force help me."

She turned around the corner and ran into someone. Padmé raised her blaster to shoot whoever it was and was met with a blue light saber blade. She gasped in relieve.

"Luke," she said as the young man put his weapon down. She embraced him. "We were so worried about you. How did you know we were here?"

"I had a vision," Luke said in a dull tone. It was then Padmé noticed he was tense, but she ignored it.

"Your father used to have visions too. Come on. We have to find Leia. She went after Pesinoé and Alex followed him," Padmé said urging him to get a move on. When he didn't move, she frowned. "Luke. What's wrong?"

Luke battled within himself before he spoke. "Cut the act. I don't want to hear it anymore."

"What are you talking about Luke?" Padmé asked.

"Don't play dumb!" Luke said raising his voice. "I know who you are. I know you're not dead… mother."

Padmé raised her hand to her mouth. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They weren't supposed to find out in the middle of a less than ideal circumstance like this, in the middle of a war where they were probably already confused.

"How did you find out?" she asked.

Luke nodded behind him to where Artoo was. "Found an old holo. When did you plan on telling us?"

Padmé opened her mouth to speak but found she couldn't find the words to do so. Finally she got a grip on herself and said, "It wasn't our fault. We wanted to tell you, but the council. It's complicated. You don't know how they are. They can still manipulate the force. They would have found a way to keep us away from you."

Padmé tried in vain to explain it, but she could tell Luke wasn't hearing it.

"I'm sorry. I-." Padmé stopped and shook her head. There would be time for this later. "Luke we have to find Leia. She was so angry. Your father and I are afraid of what she might do. We have to find them."

That snapped Luke out of his stupor.

"Sith," he said and grabbed Padmé's hand and then turned to Artoo. "Find the falcon and get it started. We'll be there soon."

He started to run down the hall letting the force guide him. He turned to look at Padmé first though. "We save Leia and then we talk. I'm not going to let you off that easy."

Luke found the elevators and it took them to the room he had seen in his vision. Both he and Padmé heard the clashing of light sabers and assumed either Leia or Anakin was fighting Pesinoé. They didn't expect to find Pesinoé standing on the edge of a railing watching with sadistic pleasure as Anakin and Leia fought.

"Leia! Anakin!" Padmé shrieked in horror and then turned to Pesinoé. "What have you done?"

Pesinoé replied without looking away from the battle. "Don't blame this on me. You're the one who made the bed. I just exposed it."

Padmé had always tried to be understanding of Pesinoé's rage. She had tried to understand that this was a woman in pain over the fact that the person she loved didn't love her and that in her anger, she had lost herself in evil. She had just been manipulated by someone they had all trusted and misguided into doing this. But now, Padmé was starting to doubt it and with that doubt in mind, she pointed her blaster at Pesinoé and open fired.

Pesinoé barely got out of the way in time and reached for her light saber, but Padmé was somehow quicker and knocked Pesinoé's hand away from it with the gun. Pesinoé hissed in pain. Padmé grabbed the woman's lightsaber and threw it as far away from them as she could. Then she aimed her blaster and shot at Pesinoé. Even without her saber though, Pesinoé was able to deflect the shots with the force. Then she used the force to pull the weapon from Padmé's hands.

Padmé ducked behind the controls for the carbonite freezing as Pesinoé shot at her in her own blind rage. When it was out of ammo, Pesinoé threw it aside and used to force to launch herself behind Padmé and snatch the woman around to her with such force that it was a wonder Padmé's shoulder didn't dislocate.

"Skank," Pesinoé said raising her hand to strike the older woman.

"Right back at you," Padmé said managing to grab Pesinoé's hand before it connected. She lifted her knee into the sith lady's stomach and used her now free hands to shove her hard onto the platform of the carbonite freezing pit.

Padmé rushed to lower the platform and pressed random buttons, not caring how it was set, so she could get the machine activated before Pesinoé got her bearings back.

Just as the liquid was about to pour, Pesinoé used to force to jump out the pit. Padmé cursed as Pesinoé came at her with deadly rage.

Meanwhile Luke had run down the stairs to try and stop Leia and Anakin.

"What are you doing?" he asked when he was finally able to catch them.

Leia had viciously thrown Anakin across the room and was headed for a beeline to strike him.

"They lied to us Luke," Leia said in her rage as Anakin brought his blade up to block hers. "Our parents aren't dead. They are our parents and he was protecting Pesinoé."

"I know Leia. I saw- Wait a minute. What do you mean he was protecting her?" Luke asked.

"I was going to kill her, Luke," Leia declared with rage in her eyes as Anakin slid between her legs and she turned around to strike his. By that time though, he had gotten to his feet and met her blade. "I would have if he hadn't stopped me."

"What?" Luke said in confusion.

"I told you," Anakin said trying to push her blade back. "I couldn't let you do that. You're angry. You're using the dark side. It'll destroy you. Look at yourself now. You're trying to kill your own father."

Leia hissed and pulled her blade back. "Don't play that on me now daddy. You weren't so eager to tell me before."

"Leia," Anakin pleaded as he blocked her strokes.

Luke decided to intervene. He stopped Leia's blade. "Leia. He's right. I know you're upset but you're giving in to the dark side. Let go of your hate and anger. You can't do this."

"So now you'll turn against me?" Leia asked.

"I'm trying to help you," Luke said. "I understand your pain but-."

Leia force pushed him back and Anakin got caught in the attack.

"Sith," Anakin said as he got up. He helped Luke up and they both crouched down in the shadows.

"Stang," Luke muttered. "I can't even do that. Where did she learn that?"

"Pesinoé's been training her and trying to drive her to the dark side. It looked like it worked," Anakin said cursing in huttese.

"No. There's something else," Luke said.

"Mara gave Han to a bounty hunter, that and Pesinoé's been pushing her boundaries all week. Throw her nightmares into that," Anakin said and Luke continued.

"And it's the perfect breeding ground for the dark side. She's overwhelmed. Darn it. I knew I should have come sooner," Luke replied.

"Then you would have been untrained and Pesinoé would have turned you over to the emperor. Either way we would have ended up in a bad situation son," Anakin said.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that. Just because I'm helping you now doesn't mean I'm not upset about you lying to us. I'm doing this for Leia."

Anakin decided not argue right then. They had to handle Leia. But Leia hadn't bothered to follow them. She was headed for Pesinoé.

Pesinoé had managed to call her light saber back to her and was about to take Padmé's head off. Leia stopped. She could have easily struck Pesinoé from behind, but that would mean Pesinoé would kill Padmé, her mother who, despite Pesinoé's obvious advantage was trying to fight the woman for messing with her family. All Leia's previous anger went away then. It was still there, but it wasn't overwhelming her anymore and it was in that moment, that the true meaning of the jedi code dawned on her.

"Mother," she said did something she had never quite mastered in her training with Pesinoé. She used the force to jump across the room and land in front of her mother. She started to stand in awe of what she had done, until she remembered her mother. She blocked the attack and pushed Pesinoé back into the railing with the force.

Leia bent down to her and looked at her a little indifferent. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine dear. My shoulder just hurts," Padmé replied.

"Padmé, Leia," Anakin said as he and Luke came to where they were.

Anakin stopped as he regarded Leia for a moment. She was no longer as dark as she had been. Some of the dark side still lingered, but for the most part, she was okay.

"Leia?" he asked cautiously for good measure.

Leia stood up. "Relax," she said. "I'm not going to attack you again."

As Anakin bent down to check on Padmé and inspect her shoulder, Leia stood next to Luke and smiled despite how disgusted she was with herself.

"Sorry," she said with warmth in her tone.

Luke hugged her and Leia returned it. "You scared me. I thought I'd lost you."

"I know… I just… Everything had been building up and I couldn't lock it away anymore. I just snapped," Leia admitted. "Still. That's not an excuse."

"We're only human Leia," Luke assured. "Force or not, we're not perfect."

Pesinoé stood up from where she was and rubbed her head. She frowned in disgust at what she saw. The Skywalkers weren't fighting each other anymore. Sure, there was tension, they were far from one big happy family, but none of the previous hate, anger, and chaos was there. She had failed… again.

She summoned her light saber to her hand and let out a bitter laugh.

"Well, well, well. One big family reunion…" Pesinoé said. "Perfect. Now I'll kill you all."

Pesinoé raised flew at them and this time it was Luke that crossed blades with Pesinoé.

Anakin stood up to help, but then fell down again clutching his chest.

"Ani," Padmé said.

"My wound re-opened," Anakin muttered. It had never fully healed. He hadn't actually gotten proper treatment for it.

"I'll fight Pesinoé," Luke said. "Go. Get to the falcon. I told Artoo to find it. He should have started it by now. Go!"

"Luke," Leia said watching as her brother struggled to hold Pesinoé off in her blind rage.

"Leia take them now!"

"But Luke-."

"Don't argue with me Leia. Go!" Luke said and started to lure Pesinoé away from them.

Leia helped Padmé to her feet and then helped steady her father as they hurried to the elevator.

"Bad move," Pesinoé said. "I have no interest in keeping you alive. The emperor wants you to replace me."

"Then you'll be saving him the trouble," Luke replied. "I'll never turn to the dark side."

Pesinoé shrugged uncaringly. "It doesn't matter to me. Either way you're dead. Once I get your sister back and teach her a lesson on what happens when you turn on me, I'll kill the emperor, and we'll rule the empire."

"You won't take Leia," Luke said trying to control his anger. "You've caused her enough pain. You've caused our whole family enough pain."

Pesinoe forced Luke back onto the gantry attached to the room. "I'll admit. Obi-Wan trained you well, but you've been beaten Luke. Give up and maybe I'll spare you."

"Never," Luke said now leaning on the railings.

"Then you will die," Pesinoé decided and cut off the railings. Luke fell and Pesinoé took the opportunity to cut off his right hand. Luke howled in pain as he fell over the edge and used his left hand to hold onto the edge.

"How ironic…" Pesinoé said trailing off. "This was the same way your father left me when we dueled. But I won't be weak like he was. I'll kill you right now."

Pesinoé raised her blade but as she brought it down, but something flashed in her eyes and she hesitated. Luke took this moment's hesitation to make his decision. He looked down and, in that moment, let himself fall rather than give Pesinoé the satisfaction of killing him. He fell into an exhaust pipe and slid to the end where he threatened to drop into space. Somehow though, he hung on.

Pesinoé watched as Luke fell. The force just lived to torture her. Leia acted like her father, but Luke… Luke was his clone. It was like the end of the clone wars all over again. She extinguished her light saber and headed back towards the elevators. The Skywalkers would not get away from her again.

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AN: Okay. This story is drawing to a nice little close. There are only two more chapters after this so… this time next week, this will be done and I'm going to take a little break before the sequel. Hope you enjoyed. Don't kill me for the small cliffy and Review Please.


	14. Chapter 14

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I had a good one… well except when-. Never mind that. Anyway. Thanks for the reviews and sorry for that cliffy. This and the next chapter wraps it up for us. And I'm so happy right now. This story has over a hundred reviews now! Yay! It was like that last week but I kept forgetting to mention it. That's a milestone. I was going to wait until morning since it's a little late but decided to go ahead and post it. Here's the rest of the escape from Bespin. Read, enjoy, and review please!

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Chapter Fourteen

"Oh no," Leia said as they steadily went down the hall.

"What is it?" Padmé asked.

"I'm not sure where the Falcon is," Leia muttered. "Pesinoé never really let me roam this place."

"Well we can't just stay here," Padmé said and looked at Anakin who was walking on his own now. "You okay?"

"For now," Anakin admitted.

Just then, Lando came running down the hall.

"So glad I found you. I was looking everywhere," he said

"You," both Anakin and Leia said together.

"Come on," Lando said. "We're getting out of here."

"Hold it," Anakin said holding his hand out forgetting about the wound on his chest. "You're the one that betrayed Leia and Han to Pesinoé."

Lando felt pressure on neck and tried to pry at the invisible fingers. "I had no choice."

"There's always a choice," said Leia in a cold tone, not at all displeased with her father's actions.

"I'm just trying to help," Lando said as the grip tightened.

"We don't need your help," Anakin declared.

Padmé looked between Anakin and Leia and Lando. She then turned to Anakin.

"Ani. Stop that. Leave him alone. He just wants to help us. Everyone makes mistakes. If after all these years you can still have faith in Pesinoé, Lando deserves a chance," Padmé determined.

"Han," Lando choked.

"Han?" Leia said staring at the man.

"We might still be able to save him… at the east platform," Lando replied.

Leia decided if there was a chance to save Han, even if they had to work with Lando, she'd take it.

"Stop," Leia said to Anakin. "Han."

"I don't particularly care for the pirate," Anakin said, but still loosened his grip on Lando's neck.

Leia rolled her eyes. "I hardly think you have the right to a say in who I get involved with right about now."

They started to follow Lando down the hall and ran into Chewie and Threepio. Threepio was still missing an arm and Anakin tilted his head, just now noticing the defect.

"What happened to Threepio anyway?" he asked.

"No time," Lando interrupted when Chewie started to growl an explanation. "We've got to stop Boba Fett from leaving with Han."

When they got to the landing platform, Boba Fett was just taking off.

"Han," Leia said starting to run for the ship. Anakin pulled her back.

"You'll never make that jump, even with the force," he said.

Leia started to take her anger out on him again, but then ducked, just in time to miss blaster fire. They turned to see a squad of storm troopers headed to them.

"The elevator," Padmé said as they made a break for the elevator.

Chewie took out a blaster and open fired on the storm troopers. Leia grabbed his arm.

"Come on Chewie. I'm angry too, but we don't have time for this. We'll get to them later. Let's go," Leia said as blaster fire exploded around her.

She and Chewie made it onto the elevator just before it closed. They just managed to get off and round the corner to the landing platform catching a brief view of the Falcon before the door closed. They ducked into alcove as storm troopers appeared and open fired on them. Lando punch desperately at the panels.

"They security codes have been changed!" he exclaimed.

Anakin looked at Leia. "Can you hold off the blaster fire?"

Leia looked at him and shrugged. "Pesinoé never actually got around to showing me exactly how to do that."

"It's just like fighting another person with a light saber," Anakin replied. "Use the force to predict where the blaster is coming from. I'll open the door."

Leia looked at him uncertainly before lighting her light saber and twirling it in her hands.

"Concentrate," Anakin replied opening the panel to the wires. On any normal occasion he could have used the force to do it, but his focus still wasn't completely back all the way to override it from not having full access to the force when he was in the Ysalamiri bubble.

Leia let out a deep breath. To be honest, she was afraid to use the force right again. She was still not quite able to completely get a control of her anger and afraid she might touch the dark side again. Before she could raise her blade to deflect a shot though, the Ladies in Waiting came around the corner in between the blaster fire. They looked between the troopers and Leia before reaching into their sleeves and pulling out blades.

Leia raised her blade to deflect them, but ended up not having to. All seven of them had launched their small knifes at the storm troopers, taking them all out in one clean sweep.

"What?" Leia managed confused.

"Princess," one of the humans said. "Are you unharmed?"

"Fine, but I don't get it. You work for Pesinoé. Why would you help us?"

"Let's put it this way," one of the torgruta began. "Deep down Pesinoé really does care about you. She's grown very fond of you, like a daughter almost… almost."

"But right now, she's very angry. In fact, I've never seen her that angry before," a Twi'lek said. "She might hurt you and regret it later."

"But won't she punish you for this?" Padmé asked warily.

"We're not afraid of her. We'll be fine. She told us before to protect you at all costs and if we have to protect you from her in order to do that we will."

The door finally opened, but it wasn't Anakin's doings. Artoo was on the other side. He whistled furiously and headed for the ship.

"But wait," Leia said to the women who had helped Pesinoé take care of her over the last week and a half. "Come with us."

They shook their heads. "Our place is with our mistress. She already thinks you betrayed her. She won't be able to handle that kind of thing from us too. It may drive her off the deep end. Now go princess. Hurry."

Leia nodded and followed the rest of her friends onto the Falcon just as more troops came down the hall. The ladies faced them to hold them off to let give Leia a chance to get away.

Anakin sat in the pilot seat and was thankful that Artoo had gotten the ship started. Those three minutes could be the difference between life and death. Ignoring Chewie's growls, he started to lift the ship off the ground and then sped the Falcon away

"Wait a minute," Leia said rushing into the cockpit. "Luke!"

"I'm on it," Anakin said already making his way to find Luke. "He's in pain… Leia. He's calling you."

Anakin steered the ship to the underside of the city with three ties close behind them.

"Look. Someone's up there!" Lando said.

"It's Luke," Leia said in relief.

"We'll get under him. Lando, open the top hatch," Anakin instructed and the man followed to do so.

They got to Luke just as he fell from where he was holding on. Lando pulled him into the ship and Leia ran out of the cockpit to Luke before Lando could get bring him in. He was bruised and he had a few light saber cuts, but he was okay.

"Luke," Leia said and hugged him.

"Leia," he muttered. "Pesinoé…"

"It's alright," Leia said and then noticed Luke was missing a hand. She paid it little mind as she steadied him. "Come on. Let's get this wrapped up."

The ship was rocked by an explosion as Leia led Luke to a room on the ship. She rested him on the cot and Luke wrapped his right arm up in his other hand.

"Luke," Leia whispered.

"Leia… Our mother… father, they're…"

"I know, remember?" Leia reminded as she touched her brother's forehead. He was hot with fever and a little delirious. "I'll be right back. I promise."

When she got back to the cockpit, she looked out the screen and scowled. She knew that shape anywhere.

"Star destroyer," Padmé said.

"Alright Chewie. Ready for light speed."

"It's not going to work. If I know Pesinoé-and unfortunately I do-she had her people disable it," Leia said dryly.

"Punch it," Anakin told Chewie.

Chewie pulled the light speed throttle and the engine began to charge, but then nothing. Chewie howled in frustration.

"I told you," Leia said. "Now what?"

"Lando," Anakin said getting up. "Take the ship. Artoo, come help me."

Leia looked at the star destroyer in front of her, Pesinoé's star destroyer.

_Leia._

"No," Leia shouted and grabbed her head. "Stay out of my head. Stop it!"

Padmé whipped around to look at Leia who had suddenly sunk to the ground.

"Leia. What's wrong?"

_Princess. Come back. I'm meant to be your master. I'm meant to train you. Your training will never be complete if you don't let me finish._

"Stop it," Leia screamed. "Get out of my head!"

Anakin rushed back to the cockpit when he heard Leia. "Leia calm down."

"Daddy, make her stop," Leia said with tears coming down her face. "Make her stay out my head. Make her voice stop."

_It's our destiny princess. Please…_

"Go away. I hate you. I-." Leia toppled over into her father's arms.

"Leia," Padmé shrieked and tried to shake the girl out her daze. "Not again."

"Again?" Anakin asked.

"This used to happen when she was younger. I don't know why," Padmé replied.

Anakin looked into Leia's eyes. "It's Pesinoé," he said. "She has a bond with her."

"But how?"

"It was destined by the force for Pesinoé to be Leia's master. They have a master and apprentice bond. They always have it seems like," Anakin said and lifted Leia up. He looked into her brown eyes.

"Leia," he whispered. "Leia. I know you don't want to, but you have to reach into the force and find the bond you share with Pesinoé. You need to block it out."

"No…" Leia said shaking her head. "I don't want to. It's so dark."

"I know it's dark Leia, but you can't let your fear paralyze you. If you don't find the bond, you won't be able to block it."

"But I used the dark side. I don't want to use the force. Not ever," Leia insisted.

"Leia!" Anakin said firmly shaking the girl. "I know it's scary, but just because there are risks involved with something doesn't mean you stop doing it. Just because there's a chance of your ship crashing doesn't mean you stop getting on them. Heck, how many times has this ship almost seemed like it was going to drop out the sky. How many times has the hyper drive failed? But that hasn't stopped us from getting on it time and time again."

"But-."

"The force is just like that. Every time we use it, there's a chance we're going to touch the dark side especially when you're a Skywalker. There's a darkness in all of us, but it's when we use the Force anyway that we've gotten one step closer to conquering that darkness in us," Anakin explained. "I didn't understand that when I was your age. I thought it made me a bad person. The council thought it made me a dangerous jedi, but it doesn't. That's what makes our bloodline so strong. Now Leia, reach into the force and block the bond."

Leia closed her eyes and reached out into the force, searching for the bond she shared with Pesinoé. She found it and felt Pesinoé trying to reach her again. She frowned and then used the force to block the bond.

She opened her eyes and blinked.

"Did you do it?" Padmé asked.

Leia nodded and stood up. She had a massive headache.

"Luke," she said and moved away from her parents to the room Luke was in. Anakin and Padmé started to follow her until they both fell over as the Falcon suddenly jumped into hyperspace.

"Artoo," Padmé said excitedly. "You did it!"

Artoo beeped excitedly. Anakin smiled at the Artoo droid and then looked up to where Leia had disappeared into a room with Luke. He sighed. They were away from Pesinoé but their struggles were far from over.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"No!" Leia snapped to the door. "I won't let you in."

Anakin wanted to destroy something desperately at that moment. Leia was really trying his patience. As soon they had gotten into hyperspace, she had locked her and Luke in one of the small rooms on the Falcon. When Anakin and Padmé followed her and she wouldn't open the door, they assumed she just needed time. However, a few hours later, she still wouldn't open the door; hence the reason Anakin and she were arguing.

"Stop being so stubborn," Anakin said in frustration. If he didn't know any better, he'd say he was dealing with a rebellious teenager and not a grown woman.

"No!" Leia said firmly. It amazed Anakin that although she was being stubborn, and she was just as frustrated as he was, she hadn't raised her voice.

"You're acting completely immature and irrational about this. Open the door," he commanded.

There was a rustling sound in the room and the door opened, but Leia was blocking the entrance.

"I think I happen to be acting far from immature and irrational," Leia whispered calmly in a diplomatic tone that Padmé used on him occasionally. "Luke's had fever and delirium for the last two hour, not to mention I had to stop his hand… his wound," Leia corrected remembering the hand wasn't there, "from bleeding. He was in no state to deal with the fact that the parents we long thought dead are alive and he's still not in the right state. He just fell asleep after the fever broke and the last thing he needs right now is to be bothered with your presence now that he's aware of who you are."

Anakin had to wonder if he and Padmé had been able to raise the twins, would the two still be this protective of each other, even to the point of rising against their own parents. It reminded him of when Leia collapsed in exhaustion on the rebel base one day and Luke had tucked her in bed, taken her comlink, any work she had in her room and literally stood guard at the door for three days so no one would bother her. He, along with Han and Chewie, had pissed off all their superiors that week.

Padmé hadn't seemed worried at all when Leia had locked the door. She said it was common for siblings to band together when one was in need. But that was the problem for Anakin. While Luke was physically injured and suddenly burdened with the fact that his parents were alive, Leia had been through a traumatic ordeal and Anakin worried for his daughter's mental state. She didn't act like she was bothered. She was just like her mother in that respect, putting her own needs aside for the sake of others. But Anakin didn't think bottling this much up was good for her health. He should know. Leia would snap again if she didn't start talking and get some rest, just like he had snapped on the Tuskens when they killed his mother.

"What about you?" Padmé asked gently coming to stand next to her husband. "Who's taking care of you?"

Leia glared and the door closed again. Anakin cursed loudly in huttese and through the door he heard Leia's smug reply.

"I can't speak huttese. So there's no point in shouting at me in that language," she replied turning back to a now awake Luke. He was staring at her patiently and then he sighed.

"Do you have to be so hard on them? They just want to make up for lost times now that it's in the open," Luke said softly.

Leia sighed and moved his legs on the small cot so she could sit down. She then propped his legs up on her lap.

"You know, you're one to talk. I can feel the resentment you feel towards him you know?" Leia replied and Luke turned to stare at the ceiling.

"Don't worry about me. You've done that enough. I'm talking about you," Luke replied. "Why so angry?"

"I don't know. I'm not really that angry anymore. They probably had good reasons for it," Leia admitted.

"Then why?"

"It's all for show Luke. I want it to sink in that I'm not happy about them not telling us and when I think it has good and set in and that they're punished enough, then I'll let them in," Leia explained.

Luke gave a weak laugh. "You're just like him."

"Like who?"

"Dad," Luke replied. "That sounds like something he'd say. Like the time Han got held captive by that queen that turned out to be his ex-girlfriend. Father told him not to go. He said something like that when he took his slow time going to save him."

Leia frowned and turned her head so Luke wouldn't see her tears. Luke winced.

"Han," he said sensing her sadness. "Sorry. I forgot."

"It's okay," Leia replied.

"There's more isn't there?" Luke asked. "It's not just about punishing them, is it?"

Leia crossed her arms and began to bounce her legs a little. "I just feel so stupid Luke. All this time, they were right in front of us and I didn't notice it. I really did think Pesinoé killed them and they let me believe that, told us that. She may be a real skank but at least Pesinoé didn't lie to me."

"Speaking of that, did Pesinoé train you?"

Leia looked at looked and raised an eyebrow. "How come you're the one with all the questions? What about you?"

Luke shrugged. "I'm fine, shocked that I don't have a hand right now, but fine. You're the one that was trapped with her for a week and a half. So, you let her train you?"

"I didn't have much of a choice to tell you the truth. It was either that or Han was getting a one-way ticket to Jabba and in the end he still ended up there," Leia replied bitterly. "Besides, it was more trying to turn me to the dark side than training although I did learn quite a bit between sparing her everyday and meditating with Dad."

"How?"

"I don't know. I called and he answered," Leia replied staring at her lap. "But even though I'm pissed off at Pesinoé, there's a lot more to her than it seems. I always thought she was just evil, but I never thought there might be a reason."

"There's a darkness in everyone Leia, some more than others. Excluding Palpatine, everyone evil isn't completely dark and if they are, something happened that made them snap," Luke explained. "I think I know why Pesinoé turned now. Yoda and Ben told me… sort of."

"Hm…" Leia said in question with her eyes closed and then opened them again to look at Luke. "Ben's dead."

"Force thing," Luke said. "I'll explain it later even though I'm still not quite sure how it works. Anyway, Pesinoé fell in love with father."

Leia started to say that it still didn't excuse her turn until what Luke said sunk in. She stared at the door in wonderment as she processed it. Pesinoé had been telling the truth.

"Leia," Luke said confused at his sister's sudden demeanor. He then joked, "You know, if you don't close your mouth, something will fly into it."

Leia blinked and then looked at Luke. "Oh my stars… Luke. Pesinoé, she wasn't lying to me."

Luke sat himself up on the cot. "What are you talking about?"

"Pesinoé told me something and I didn't believe her and… Stang. I'm so stupid," Leia replied putting her hands on her head.

Luke's jaw dropped at the obscenity that came out Leia's mouth. The rogue squadron used to joke that Luke had such a clean mouth he was an angel, because he rarely cursed unless the situation was dire. If he was an angel, Luke mused, then Leia was a goddess. In the time he'd known her, she never swore, at least around him. In fact, he didn't think she had sworn in her life.

"Leia," he said and she looked at him.

"What?"

"Never curse again. You're going to shock me to death," Luke replied seriously. Leia scowled at him and started to get off the bed. "Where are you going?"

"To get our dear mother and father. They're going to tell us everything," she said helping him off the bed.

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AN: I guess this also counts as another cliffy or maybe it doesn't. Oh well. There's only the last chapter after this and then I'll post the sequel in a week or so I guess. I have to come up with a title first though... Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	15. Chapter 15

This is the last chapter and then the sequel will come next week. Wow this story has come a long way since I posted it in May. I have nothing to say until the end, especially after that small cliffy. So Read, Enjoy, and Review!

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Chapter Fifteen

The tension in the room was obvious as the whole family sat down together, with the twins knowing the truth, for the first time in twenty-one years.

Luke didn't really know what to make of the situation. He imagined the space operas that his aunt used to be so fond of (He wasn't sure if she was still fond of them. He hadn't talked to her in three years). Usually when long lost parents or children were reunited, there were tears of joy, everything either party may have done was forgiven and suddenly, there was a picture perfect happy-go-lucky family. Luke almost snickered. Apparently, the writers had never met the Skywalker family.

The atmosphere was tense and Luke could sense that Leia was still having a hard time handling her emotions, not to say that Luke wasn't. He had his own issues with his parents. But it was odd that Leia was the one having the most difficulty. It was usually the other way around. He was usually dealing with something, and Leia was always so busy and involved in something that she couldn't deal with her emotions. In that way one could say they were just like their dad. Anakin was always battling with something it seemed like, like an inner darkness that threatened to come out. The difference was how they handled it. Luke handled his emotional battles like their mother. It was hard but they could usually push their emotions aside with reason. Leia acted reasonable. She had to. She was a diplomat, but Luke had seen the way her emotions and temper would get the best of her, she just didn't like to show it. But when it did show… Luke didn't even want to think about it.

"So where do you want us to start?" Padmé asked breaking the uneasy silence that had filled the room.

"The beginning would be a good start," Leia said with a sarcastic undertone.

"Which one?" Anakin asked with a chuckle.

"The first one," Luke replied before Leia could let out her biting response. He didn't blame her though. She had been through a lot and he was trying to hold back a sharp retort of his own/

"Your mother and I met when she was the queen of Naboo," Anakin began. "Obi-Wan and his master, Qui-Gon, were escorting her to Coruscant at the time so she could get aid against the trade federation who were blockading Naboo. They had to land on Tatooine because their ship needed repairs. They came into the junk shop we were in where I was…"

Padmé rubbed his arm. That had always been a touchy subject for him.

"He was a slave," Padmé said and continued to explain how they got off Tatooine and freed Anakin, how he had been the only human to win a podrace ("That was you! You were that human?" Luke exclaimed in excitement.), and how they went to Coruscant and the events following.

"After that, I didn't see your mother again for ten years," Anakin said. "But the connection we had was still there, even though we both tried to fight it. It was a losing battle from the beginning, but we really started falling hard when I was assigned to protect her and we went to the lake country."

"The lake country?" Leia asked curiously.

"It's a property my family owns on Naboo. You two were supposed to grow up there," Padmé said softly. Padmé continued to explain what happened through that time and how they had secretly married.

"I was knighted soon and not long after that, Ahsoka was given to me to be my padawan," Anakin said with a distant look in his eyes. "We didn't get along at first and to be honest, the last thing I wanted was to be tied down with a padawan so soon after being knighted, but the council thought it would help control my recklessness. We eventually started to grow on each other. Over the next three years, I began to see her as something of a little sister, but she, I don't know when, began to see me in an entirely different light. I can't say I didn't notice it. I did. I thought it was just a harmless crush that she'd grow out of, but it wasn't."

"Your father was sent away for six months to fight in the war and when he came back, I was six months pregnant. We didn't know it, but Ahsoka was there when I told your father. After that, everything started to go downhill."

"I had been given a mission to act as liaison to the chancellor and the council. I had a lot of faith in Palpatine at the time and if it weren't for the fact that she started acting weird, I wouldn't have felt anything off about him. At first we thought she was just uncomfortable with our marriage, but the more Padmé and I tried to make her welcome, the more uncomfortable she seemed to get," Anakin pointed out.

Leia and Luke looked at their father closely and for the first time consciously touched the bond they had with him. This was hard for him.

"Then one day she blew up at dinner and left. Padmé when to talk to her and that's when she found out Ahsoka was in love with me. I had always toyed around with the idea, but it just seemed so ridiculous to me… I should have known," Anakin added closing his eyes.

"There was no way you could have known Ani," Padmé said softly. "Palpatine had us all fooled."

"Soon after that, she turned to the dark side. Something about trying to save me from the jedi. Palpatine had really convinced her that the jedi were evil and that by making me side with them, I was betraying her. Sometimes I wished I had seen it before. If I had, I could have helped her through what she was feeling and maybe…" Anakin trailed off. "What's done is done. Anyway, she tried to kill your mother and we ended up dueling on Mustafar. That's how she lost her right arm, but when it came time to kill her, I couldn't do it. I let her live. Your mother gave birth to you and when the galaxy was so plunged into darkness, the two of you together were like a beacon of light in the force, on Pesinoé could have easily discovered."

Anakin paused and then said, "The thing was, I could never truly hate her. Palpatine was playing us all and if Palpatine hadn't gotten to her, it would have been me. I think he had been grooming me since I was brought to the temple, but he saw a flaw in his plan and fed all Ahsoka's insecurities instead."

Luke gasped. His vision, it was starting to make sense… He didn't comment on it though. His father seemed horrified at the realization as it was. He'd just keep it to himself for now.

"And that leads us to this," Leia replied. "She was really telling the truth when she told me that. I'm almost ashamed that I didn't believe her."

"What did she tell you?" Luke and Padmé said at the same time.

Anakin and Leia exchanged a look.

"I don't know how it happened or when… maybe it was somewhere in between trying to make me turn to the dark side or watching me fight my own father," Leia said with dry humor. "But she really does care about me, and not in some sick twisted way. It's because of father," Leia said slowly. It was weird referring to the man she had seen as a very over protective uncle less than twenty-four hours ago as her dad, even though somewhere in the back of her mind, she had always known.

"She's still in love with him isn't she?" Padmé asked softly.

"I'm not sure," Leia said. "I was with her this whole week and now everything she did and said makes sense like why she never wanted to talk about her life right before the end of the war. I think she thought she was weak for giving in to that kind of emotion."

"Not only that," Luke said remembering something Obi-Wan and Yoda told him. "They said she strived for control and it drove her mad when she couldn't get you to love her like she wanted," Luke replied.

"So what does this mean, for Pesinoé I mean? We know what we should do, but…" Anakin trailed off.

Leia groaned. If her aunts were still alive, they would be horrified at how un-princess like and un-ladylike she was acting. She couldn't help it though. Being with Pesinoé had kind of hardened her up a little. She was still thinking in survival mode, in a mode when acting like a lady didn't matter and then there was Pesinoé… She was the embodiment of ladylike. Everything she did, she did like a lady. She even fought like one.

"It's confusing. It's almost like she has a split personality, a war going on inside her and even thought I hate to admit it because I really am still very angry with her, there's good inside her," said Leia as she put a hand on her father's that was resting on the small table they were at on the falcon. "I felt it."

Anakin looked up from where he was staring at the table. Leia had said it reluctantly, but she really did believe it.

"Then it's settled," Padmé said putting her hand with theirs and Luke did the same. "We'll bring her back or die trying."

They were silent for a moment and then Luke looked at Padmé.

"Are you sure you're comfortable with this mom?" he asked warily.

"What do you mean?" Padmé asked.

"If we bring her back, we're talking about another women vying for dad's affections. How can you be so calm about it? She told me herself she hates you," Leia added. If it had been Han, she'd be ready to send the women to the ends of the galaxy to keep him away.

"I have complete and total faith in your father," Padmé said. "I can relate to her. She was wrong to do what she did, but I understand why. I can't say I know what I would do if your father didn't love me because he loved someone else. Besides, she just had no one to reach out to. I can't blame her for Palpatine taking advantage of her confusion."

Anakin wrapped his arm around Padmé and kissed her. "Thank you angel," he replied and then looked at Luke and Leia. "Thank you all."

"Don't worry father," Luke added speaking for both himself and Leia. "We'll get your padawan back. We promise."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé didn't know what to do with herself. She had lost everything when it seemed like she had everything to gain again. It was the end of the clone wars… again. She was rejected… again. Every time she opened herself up to let someone in to care again, they betrayed her. First it was Anakin, then the emperor, and now her own apprentice who she had come to see as a daughter. It was a wonder she still had her ladies.

Pesinoé felt like she was going mad, but before she did that, she would lose herself, not in the force though. It seemed the force had fated her to this cruel fate of being betrayed over and over again. Instead, she turned to alcohol. She rarely touched the stuff. She only drank it on special occasions and when she was angry, she usually just killed the person that drove her there and felt better. But the objects of her anger were out of her reach now and the emperor hadn't been pleased for her failure either. He made a trip all the way to where her star destroyer was still in orbit around Bespin and punished her thoroughly, in front of the people who were loyal to her. As if losing the Skywalker's hadn't been humiliating enough…

After her punishment, she felt the sporadic twitches in her prosthetic arm but ignored them. Instead she went to her room, had her ladies bring her two bottles of strong drink and locked the door. She didn't want to feel anything, not even the force. She just wanted to be numb. The alcohol wasn't quite having the effect she wanted though.

"Failure…" she muttered to herself. She had more failures in the last three years than she had in her life and all because of her one weakness. It was pointless to deny it now. Something had stuck with her after abandoning the weak part of her that was Ahsoka Tano. It had been there for the last twenty-one years, and she had pushed the feeling aside. But now it was resurfacing and needed to be dealt with. The first step was admitting it.

She took a sip of the drink and sighed. "I… I'm…"

She could hardly get it out. Such a feeling was far from a sith emotion.

"I'm still in love with Anakin Skywalker," she said lazily and drank the rest of her wine. "It's why I couldn't bring myself to kill his daughter when I should have. It's why I wanted to make her my apprentice, because she acts just like him. It's why I couldn't bring myself to kill his son who while has his mother's demeanor and presence has his father's face. It's why I never killed their mother when I had the chance to… Curse the force," Pesinoé snapped throwing the glass on the floor. It shattered.

Now the easy part was over, just the hard part was left. If she wanted to get rid of these feelings, she had to get rid of the object of her desire. If she couldn't have him, no one would. Forget love. Forget revenge. It opened her up, showed her vulnerabilities. Instead, she'd just kill him, and that would be the end of it.

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They arrived at the rebel cruiser a few days later and though there were still some wounds that had to heal, the Skywalker family was starting to resemble a normal family for the first time… as normal as Skywalkers could be anyway.

"Luke," Lando said over the comlink from the Falcon. "We're ready for takeoff."

"Good luck Lando," Luke said.

"When we find Jabba the Hutt and that bounty hunter, we'll contact you," Lando promised.

"We'll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine," Luke said aware of his scowling father next to him. He sent his exasperation through their bond and was only met with his father's stubbornness. Anakin didn't care what his children said. He was still displeased that Leia had gotten involved with the pirate. If they asked him, being a statue for Jabba was what Han deserved for dealing with the hutt in the first place.

"Princess, we'll find Han. I promise," said Lando.

"Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal," Luke said and grinned when Chewie roared over the comlink. "Take care you two. May the focre be with you."

The communication ended and Luke winced as the medical droid made some adjustments to his new hand.

"So how does it feel?" Padmé asked when the droid was done, picking up her son's hand.

"Weird I guess… I mean it feels real, but knowing it's no real makes it weird," Luek admitted.

"You'll get used to it," Anakin assured. "I did."

"You have a prostethic hand?" he and Leia asked together and Anakin raised his right hand to demonstrate. Apparently they had missed the part in his explanations about him losing an arm.

The twins looked at each other, a wordless conversation passing between them. Then they turned to the window, put their arms around each other's shoulders, and leaned their heads on each others. Padmé smiled at the sight as Anakin wrapped his arm around her shoulders with his other on Luke's shoulder. They were at last a whole family again at last.

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**AN:** So a family again, albeit a slightly dysfunctional one. They aren't complete in line yet. Still some issues they have to work out that I'll go into in the next story. Let's just say it's for all you father/son interaction lovers. Not to mention we do end up finding out the real reason Padmé wants to bring Pesinoé back. Anywho, that's the end and here's your sneak peak:

"_Han," Luke said. "Start course for Dagobah."_

"_Dagobah," Han said in disbelief. "Just how many detours are we going to be taking kid?"_

_Leia came and wrapped her arms around Han's waist and leaned her head on his chest._

"_Please Han?" she asked. "Just one more stop. It's important."_

_Han's resolve crumbled. "You know I can't say no to you princess."_

_Leia smiled and pecked Han on the lips. "Thank you."_

_Anakin scowled from behind Leia._

"_I'm just letting you know that I don't at all approve of this relationship," he pointed out._

"_Oh please," Leia said rolling her eyes. "Dad, you're on big hypocrite."_

_Han's eyes widened as he looked at Anakin, but neither Leia nor Anakin noticed._

"_Hypocrite?" Anakin asked._

"_You married mom. She was a queen when you met her and you were a slave, not to say that made you a bad person, but come on. She was way out of your league," Leia said with a smirk._

"_True," Anakin relented. "But I eventually became a jedi and much more worthy of your mother by the time we got married. Besides, the Skywalkers always aim high and get what they want."_

_Leia rolled her eyes and then crossed her arms. "Who's to say Han won't? He's already come a long way."_

"_You can say what you want princess," Anakin said glaring at Han. "Any man, that's a pirate, smuggler, and has had dealings with Jabba the Hutt will never be good enough for my daughter."_

"_You mean to say no man, right?" Leia asked pointedly and then walked past her father leaving him with a shocked Han._

"_Wait a minute," he said looking at Anakin. "You're her father. You're Anakin Skywalker?"_

"_Shocking, isn't it?" Anakin asked sitting in the co-pilot's seat._

"_I knew you were related to the kid and the princess but their father… and Pemé's their mother," Han added. This was a shock. He had practically idolized Anakin Skywalker when he was younger, even though him being Leia's father never had anything to do with why he liked her. But now to know that this man who was always giving him trouble was his past idol… _

"_Her name is Padmé, but that's Mrs. Skywalker to you," Anakin replied getting the ship ready for takeoff with Chewie._

_Han stared at Anakin for a moment, shocked in paralysis. All this time, he had dissed this guy, argued with him, and generally got on the man's nerve (Not on purpose. Everything he did seemed to grate the man's nerves) and he was Leia's father. Suddenly Han regretted getting on his bad side all these years. If Anakin didn't like him before just for liking Leia, then the jedi was going to make his life a living sith hell for actually being with her. Han decided to make sure he never had his back turned to Anakin and sleep with one eye open at night._

_Then he remembered some of the mannerisms Luke and Leia had. Leia's temper, Luke's knack for finding trouble (vise verse really since Luke insisted he never went looking for trouble, rather trouble found him… Han really believe that one), and Han couldn't forget they shared that hokey Force religion…_

_Han shook his head. "It all makes so much sense now."_

Alright. That's it. I'll be posting the new story soon and I have no idea what the title will be. Just look out for the new story next week… Oh hold on… it's coming to me it's… I go it! Look out for my new fic **Ascent out of Darkness. **And yes it's a completely different title from the second fic, though it is subject to change when I randomly change my mind about it. Prepositions can make a huge difference. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!.


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